Unending
by Anaika Skywalker
Summary: SG1 crossover: An energy blast sends a future alternate SG1 to Atlantis, but these five team members are faced with interacting with younger alternate versions of their parents as the present SG1 visits Atlantis to meet them. But getting home might not be
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** **_Unending_******

**Author:** Anaika Skywalker

**Rating:** M

**Summery: **SG-1 crossover: An energy blast sends a future alternate SG-1 to Atlantis, but these five team members are faced with interacting with younger alternate versions of their parents as the present SG-1 visits Atlantis to meet them. But getting home might not be possible.

**Disclaimer:** Don't own it, wish I did, I just like to play in their universe once and a while. I'll put them back when I'm finished. I promise.

**Author's Note: **I've had this story on my computer for awhile; I've just never got around to doing anything with it. Finally I did and after a number of drafts, this is what I've come up with. It isn't beta read, so any and all mistakes are mine and my computer's, it did its best. I'm just damn stubborn at times.

**_Unending_**

Chapter One: **_Crossed realities_**

Major Sheppard ducked as an energy blast narrowly missed his head, glancing around he saw where his teammates were and who was closet to the DHD. "McKay, dial the Gate!" He yelled over the noise of the firefight before unloading the rounds of another clip into his enemy, changing it for a full one.

McKay made a dash for the DHD and quickly dialed home, his teammates covering him. The Gate opened with a kawoosh; after sending their IDC he spun round continuing to return fire; using the DHD as cover as the clip was unloaded and exchanged for another.

Sheppard keyed open his radio earpiece. "Atlantis, this is Sheppard. We're coming in hot, repeat we're coming in hot!"

"_Acknowledged Major, we'll be ready for you, just give the word._"

His sarcastic reply was drowned out by energy blasts that hit near and around them and at the Stargate. "Damn it!" He snarled, not caring his mike was keyed open. "Let's Go!" He yelled. "Mitchell, Jackson, lets go," he ordered and then he and his team made a dash for the Gate as he yelled into his radio. "Atlantis this is it, we're on our way!" He announced and they sprinted through the event horizon, not seeing the energy blast that struck the Stargate as they passed through the puddle.

0o0o0o0

Klaxons blared in Stargate Operations; bring everyone to a high alert, defense troops rushed into the Gate room below, taking up positions, reading weapons as the Stargate opened with a boom against the shield.

"We're receiving SG-1's IDC, Ma'am," the sergeant at the dialing console informed Dr. Weir as she arrived, frowning confused. "It's not the current IDC, Ma'am; it's not a recognized code of the SGC, but it's SG-1." He got a second lot of data. "Code red, they're coming in under fire."

"All right lower the shield; we'll sort out the IDC problem after they come through," Elizabeth Weir ordered, wondering how SG-1 had gotten to the Pegasus Galaxy, she tapped her radio earpiece, contacting the defensive troops, "Defensive positions."

The shield came down as a transmission came through. "_Atlantis, this is it, we're on our way_!"

Elizabeth grimaced that didn't sound like Mitchell, SG-1's team leader; she saw and heard the crackle of energy; sparks flew off the Gate as it built up charge. "What's happening?"

"An energy spike Ma'am, it's charging the Gate," Sergeant Campbell announced, keeping a calm head. "City fail safes are compensating."

"Medical team to the Gate room," she ordered and the order was carried out.

They then heard what could have been best described as a sonic boom and then five people ran though, four men and a young woman, all wearing black fatigues with SG-1 and Atlantis patches. The five of them dropped to a defensive position facing the Gate, as if expecting to have been followed.

Elizabeth saw the Marines go on alert as well. "Shut it down!" she told Campbell and the man did so, the Gate closed down as she hurried down the stairs to the Gate room. The Marines didn't back down and the SG-1 that had come through the Gate stood and turned and quickly went on the defense once they realized they weren't where they were suppose to be.

Keeping her hands where they could be seen, Elizabeth carefully approached them. "Welcome to Atlantis." She saw they were just as confused as everyone else, but didn't back down. She needed the situation defused quickly. "I'm not sure how you came to be here, but if you lower your weapons, we'll try to figure out what has happened." There was some hesitation as they glanced at once another, an unspoken communication going on between them. "I assure you, you won't be harmed," she said calmly. "We only want to help you." With some reservations, they lowered their weapons. "Thank you," she nodded to the Sergeant beside her, who signaled his men and their weapons were taken from them, unknown to the Marines, each weapon had been quickly locked down by its owner.

Dr. Beckett arrived with the medical team, becoming a little baffled; he'd been expecting a medical emergency. "Elizabeth?"

"I don't know, Carson," she informed seriously and addressed the Marine Sergeant. "Sergeant Williams, escort our guests to the infirmary. Have their weapons and vests secured."

"Yes Ma'am," he gestured to his men and the unknown SG-1 was escorted out.

"I want to know who they are, Carson and if they're human." Elizabeth said turning to her head of medicine.

"I'll do what I can, luv," he said with a weary sigh and left with this team.

Elizabeth stared at the Gate; these unknown visitors were wearing SG-1 patches as well as Atlantis patches and one looked like Colonel Sheppard, a young Colonel, but the Colonel never the less. And the young woman in the group, she reminded Elizabeth of Daniel Jackson. In fact they all reminded her of personnel she knew. Rodney McKay, Ronan Dex and Cameron Mitchell, turning she hurried back up the stairs to operations. "When is Colonel Sheppard's team due back, Chuck?"

"Not until tomorrow Ma'am, they're due to check in an hour," the Sergeant reported.

"Dial the Gate, I want to talk to Colonel Sheppard," she ordered.

He nodded and dialed the address of the Space Gate Sheppard and his team had taken a puddlejumper through, the Stargate opened and he nodded to Elizabeth. "Go ahead Ma'am."

"Colonel Sheppard, this is Atlantis."

There was a pause, then. "_Atlantis, this is Sheppard_."

"Colonel, I want you to apologize to the Chief and tell him the trade negotiations will have to be temperately halted. I need you back here."

"_What's wrong, Elizabeth_," he asked concerned.

"We'll talk when you get back, John."

There was another pause, then. "_We're heading back to the Puddlejumper, we'll be home soon."_

"Thank you, John. Atlantis out," she said and then nodded to Campbell, who closed the Gate down. "Inform me as soon as they arrive."

"Yes Ma'am."

She headed to her office and tried to get some work done, only to be interrupted an hour later by Carson, who wanted to see her in the infirmary. She went directly there, being shown to an observation room by a nurse. Carson was waiting, a computer tablet in his hands. Below in the room were the five unknown SG-1 members. Their jacket's had been removed, their t-shirts showing off some impressive muscle tone. The doctor turned gesturing her further into the observation room. "They're not all human, two are, one is half Satedan/half Athosian, one is half human and what the Ancient data base in recognizing as Lantean. And the young lass," he brought up a test result on his tablet and showed the Atlantis leader. "Her DNA is unusual," he saw Elizabeth take a look and then glance at him questioningly. "It's Lantean, with some human DNA strains, but mostly she's Lantean. One of the men also has a protein marker in their blood, but has never had a symbiote; the marker has been passed down from a parent."

"You're positive?"

"I'm positive," he assured her.

Elizabeth moved closer to the window, looking down at the four men and one young woman. Even at this distance it was hard not to notice resemblances to people she knew, their body language was especially distinctive. "They look young."

Carson had thought that too. "They're wearing Air Force ID tags. One is a medical doctor, three have academic doctorates," he reported, having spoken to each of them. "Who we have here is SG-1 of 2032."

That surprised her. "2032."

He nodded. "The team is lead by Major Nicholas Sheppard, or Nick. His second in command is Major Matthew McKay, known as Matt. The team Archaeologist/linguist is Captain Danielle Jackson, but she doesn't mind Dani. The team medical officer is Captain Jason Mitchell, MD. And the last member is Major Braydon Dex, he goes by Bray."

"So they're from our future?" Elizabeth is rhetorically.

"I'm afraid not lass, if they were Major's Sheppard, McKay and Dex and Captain Mitchell would be young ones running around either here or on Earth and by the birth date shown, if this was their past, then Captain Jackson won't be a year old until next month."

"So alternate reality?"

"It looks like it lass," he agreed. "There's more. Both Major Sheppard and Captain Jackson are strong with the ATA gene, in fact I would say the Captain is stronger then Colonel Sheppard. Major McKay is also a natural carrier, but not as strong and Major Dex and Captain Mitchell have had gene therapy." He paused. "I won't have all the results back for a few hours, but I've no doubts about their ancestry."

Elizabeth didn't either. She heard her name being called over the earpiece, she tapped it. "Yes."

"_Colonel Sheppard and his team have returned, Dr. Weir_."

"Ask them to come to the infirmary, observation room 2, please."

"_Yes Ma'am_."

She looked back at the SG-1 in the isolation room. Her gaze focused on two in particular. "They look too young to be apart of SG-1, even a future SG-1."

Carson joined her at the window. "By their ID tags – Major Sheppard is 33, Major McKay is 32, Captain Mitchell is 28 nearly 29, Major Dex is 34 and Captain Jackson is 26 nearly 27."

She was stunned. "Carson, they look younger then that, all of them."

"Aye luv they do," he agreed and then pushed on. "Elizabeth, I don't know what kind of future they're from, but I'm guessing it's not a nice one. They all have a number of scars associated with being wounded and the scanner picked up the internal scar tissue. Captain Mitchell has had reconstructive surgery on his left knee and spine. Captain Jackson has had her appendix removed and she has a scar on her back and a matching one on her abdomen from being impaled."

Elizabeth felt sick. "Impaled?"

"Captain Mitchell told me they were captured by a race called the Vollan's, during the escape Captain Jackson stepped in front of Major Sheppard and was impaled by a pulse staff, it went straight through her vest and coursed internal damage as it was removed," Carson revealed still coming to terms with it himself. "He said she coded twice on the way to the Stargate and again when they got back to Atlantis."

"My god, Carson."

"He said if it hadn't been for a Tok'ra, who was at Atlantis at the time, she would have died, but he had a healing device and did what he could, repairing what damage he could. The doctors did the rest."

John and the rest of him team walked in, all of them grinning, unaware of what had happened. "Hey Elizabeth, doc, what's going on?" he asked. His smile faded and his gut twisted worse then it had when he'd first come back through the Stargate. He saw the look on their faces and instantly went on alert. "Elizabeth?"

"A team came through the Stargate from an alternate reality," she explained. "They're SG-1, a future SG-1 who is based at Atlantis in their time and reality."

"What happened before they came through?" Rodney requested quickly.

"There was an energy spike, the cities fail safes counteracted it," she revealed. "And just before they came through there was a noise, like a sonic boom."

He frowned, thinking about it. "I'll have to check the Gate records, see what kind of energy spike happened and if there was a temporal flux at the time."

Elizabeth nodded, she saw the Colonel cross the room to join them at the viewing window, looking down at the team in the isolation room. She turned, seeing the mixed emotions on his face. "John?"

"Who are they, Elizabeth?" he asked, feeling a shiver run up his spine, not to mention a mental jolt, it was like his ATA gene had zapped him, it had done the same when they'd landed. Hence his stomach twisting up on him, a feeling he didn't like at all.

She put a comforting hand on his arm. "Major Nicholas Sheppard, Major Matthew McKay, Major Bray Dex, Captain Jason Mitchell and Captain Danielle Jackson," she answered. "Carson doesn't have all the DNA results back yet, but…."

He didn't need them, he knew. "He's my son, isn't he, from a future alternate reality."

"It looks like it, yes," she answered.

Rodney, Teyla and Ronan stood with their team leader; they got a good look at those in the isolation room too. They could see the resemblance each member of this SG-1 had to someone they knew and themselves.

"Can we talk to them Dr. Beckett?" Teyla inquired.

"Aye lass," he agreed and led them all out of the observation room.

In the isolation room, Major Nick Sheppard got up and went over to his archaeologist; she was staring up at the observation room window. The window was one way, they couldn't see in, but whoever was inside could see them. It was something else thought. "Jackson?"

She tore her gaze away from the window to him. "Did you feel it?"  
He knew what she was talking about, a moment ago, he'd felt the same mental jolt he felt whenever his archaeologist was returning to the city after accompanying another team. It wasn't as strong, but it was the same feeling. He nodded slowly. "Whoever is up there is strong with the ATA gene."

Danielle Jackson nodded slowly, licking her lips out of habit. "It's more then that, thought."

"How much more, Doc?"

"I don't know, I just know it's more," she admitted.

He was going to comment when the door to the isolation room slid open and he and his team turned towards it. As soon as the five saw Sheppard; those sitting got quickly getting to their feet and they lined up before them at attention. A little stunned by who they'd come face to face with, even time couldn't hid who they were.

John was a little taken back. "At ease, please," he ordered, not use to being treated that way on Atlantis. They stood at ease. "That's spooky." He declared.

"No kidding, even your own guys don't jump like that," Rodney remarked.

"Thanks," he retorted sarcastically.

Carson smiled. "This is Dr. Elizabeth Weir, head of our expedition and Atlantis' front line team: Lt. Colonel John Sheppard, Dr. Rodney McKay, Teyla Emmagon and Ronan Dex."

"From what I've been told, you're 26 years in the past, in a different timeline to your own." Elizabeth explained.

Matt glanced at his CO to cover his sudden anxiety, chuckling. "You realize what this means, don't you sir," he mussed. "You're even outranked by an alternate version of your father."

"And you most likely have more PhD's then yours, McKay." Nick taunted back. "And you're probably smarter."

"Hey!" Rodney complained.

"He could be right, Rodney," John said casually, still coming to terms with it.

"And how would you know?" his friend retorted.

Jason sighed and shook his head. "We are so thankful our McKay takes after his mother."

"Very," Danielle said dryly, her arms against her chest, shivering slightly.

All except for Rodney found that amusing. Teyla smiled. "Who is your mother, Major McKay?"

The joking around stopped. "I'm not sure I should say, Ma'am, if this is the past, even an alternate reality, we could still change your future."

"Well the possibility is there," Rodney agreed. "But considering neither myself nor the rest of my team have children, I think you're safe."

"And your SG-1 isn't here on Atlantis?"

"No, they're on Earth."

Matt glanced at his commanding officer, who shrugged and gave the go ahead with a nod of his head. "My mother is Dr. Samantha Carter."

"Really?" Rodney asked smugly.

"Yes sir," Matt said grinning. "Boggles even my mind."

"Charming," the Scientist snapped, and then clarified what the younger McKay said. "So in another reality I married Sam Carter."

"Eventually," the younger man said bluntly.

That wiped the smug grin off Rodney's face. "Eventually?"

"Yeah, well mom didn't marry dad until after I was born. Even then they had a long distance marriage with dad being at Atlantis and her at the SGC. Until SG-1 transferred there."

"You're an only child aren't you?" Rodney stated mater of fact and a little dryly.

"Yes, sir."

John chuckled. "Colonel Carter is going to love this?"

Matt looked a little confused. "Colonel Carter?"

"Yes, yes, well here, Samantha Carter is a Lt. Colonel in the Air Force." Rodney explained.

"Well, that's different, my mom would never have thought about joining the Air Force."

"Major," Elizabeth interrupted, addressing the younger Sheppard. "When you first came through, you were a little confused by my presence here. Who is command of Atlantis in your reality?"

"Doctor Carter is Ma'am." Nick revealed. "Well at least for another few months, she's retiring and handing over command to Dr. Tristan. She said she's going to take things easy and make Doc McKay take things easy, we're laying bets it's not going to happen."

"So they're workaholic's in your universe too," John smirked.

"Yes sir," his alternate son agreed with an identical smirk.

"I think we should continue this in the conference room," Elizabeth announced and then looked to Carson. "Unless you need them to remain in the infirmary?"

"No, they're free to go." Carson agreed.

"Um, Dr. Beckett," Danielle spoke up; she still had her arms wrapped around her middle. "Could I have my jacket back?"

"Are you all right, luv?" he asked her concerned.

"I'm a little cold," she admitted and chewed shyly on her bottom lip.

He smiled concerned. "I'll get you, your jacket," he said and hurried out.

Elizabeth smiled also. "John, will you and your team escort SG-1 to the conference room."

He nodded, grinning. "Yes, Ma'am."

"I'll contact the SGC and then join you. Excuse me," she announced and left the room.

Carson returned with all their jackets. "There you go."

They took them, putting them back on, thanking him before leaving with John and his team. The future team took note of their surroundings as they walked, John saw it, and so did Teyla and Ronan. This team was instinctively looking for ways to escape if they needed too.

They arrived at the conference room; taking a seat, waiting for Dr. Weir.

Ronan looked directly at Bray, the young man had short black hair, but his build was familiar. This young man was definitely his alternate's son. "You're Satedan?"

"Half Satedan, my mother is Athosian," the young man revealed, noting the Satedan sat next to Teyla. He wondered if they were together.

"You're father is obviously Ronan's alternate. Who is your mother?" Teyla inquired, even though she had a feeling she knew.

He smiled warmly at her. "Your alternate," he revealed. "My mother found my father while trading, he was badly beaten and near death. She took him back to her village and nursed him back to health."

"What about the Wraith transmitter?" Rodney interrupted.

"Mom got it removed before they took him back to her village; anyway they fell in love and nine months later my brother was born, two years later I was; them my sister Thea was born ten years after."

"She was an ABC baby?" Nick jeered.

Teyla was confused. "I don't understand."

"Absolute bloody carelessness," John explained and grinned. "I haven't heard that one in a long time, not since…"

"Aunt Mary?" Nick offered.

"Yes. God, don't tell me your dad told you about that?"

Nick nodded, out of the corner of his eye he noticed his archaeologist fidgeting in her seat and discreetly put his hand on her thigh, his gentle caresses calming her restlessness. He removed his hand with the same discretion as he'd put it there. "And about Uncle Mike."

Rodney shook his head. "We have visitors from 26 years into the future from a different reality and all you can talk about is relatives you've both got."

"Yes Rodney," John drawled. "Got a problem with that?"

"Captain Jackson," Teyla got the young woman's attention, interrupting the bantering between her teammates. "I had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Jackson, your alternate father; when he and SG-1 came to search the Ancient database for information concerning a weapon to defeat the Ori."

"The Sangreal," Danielle declared and saw the rest of the Atlantis team take notice. "My father did the same. He also had Merlin's knowledge and consciousness downloaded into this brain, was captured, and turned into a Prior…" she stopped, seeing the surprise on their faces. "Well I guess even with the differences there are a lot of similarities."

"It seems so." Rodney agreed dryly, having been told about the incident.

Elizabeth came into the room and took her seat. "I contacted Earth; General Landry has agreed to send SG-1, the _Odyssey_ will be here in three days; it seems things have been a little quiet with the Ori at the moment."

"Have they used the Sangreal weapon?" Danielle asked her.

"Yes. The weapon was sent through," Elizabeth informed. "I take it that happened in your reality."

"Yes Ma'am, it did," she answered and lent back in her chair.

"I'd like some answers for SG-1 when they arrive," Elizabeth declared and turned to her head scientist. "Rodney see what you can find out what happened. I'm sure Major McKay would be happy to help."

"Yes, well while we've been sitting here, I've been theorizing it must have been a temporal displacement that cause traveling from one reality to another, most likely the Stargate where this SG-1 left from was hit by some kind of energy beam," Rodney declared, rambling a little.

"Temporal energy displacement blast," Matt muttered.

Nick glared at him. "I thought you said they wouldn't work that out."

"I thought they wouldn't be able to work it out, Major, I wasn't sure," he corrected him. "If it hadn't been for Dani translating that data stream we received, we wouldn't have worked it out."

"SGA-15's missing Archaeologist was fluent in Lantean, Major," Danielle reminded. "I taught him."

"And the damn Vollan's captured him."

"Vollans?" Teyla questioned. "I do not know of them."

"You don't want to," Jason told her seriously. "Believe me; they make the Wraith look like a bunch of Girl Scouts."

"We'll that's a nice analogy," Rodney said sarcastically.

"The Wraith killed to survive, Dr. McKay," Danielle said, her voice went from quiet calmness to raised anger. "The Vollans kill for pleasure, for sport. They wipe out whole planets for no reason at all. They don't want to negotiate or be trading partners. They want all human's dead, they want to rule the galaxy and they don't won't worshipers or slaves."

"Jackson!" Nick snapped out, stopping her before she really let lose, seeing his team had gone on alert. "Take a walk," he ordered, then realized where he was. "With Dr. Weir's permission."

Elizabeth nodded; she saw the pain and anger in the young woman's eyes, and the way her teammates were tense and ready for any action. She turned to her John. "Colonel, would you accompany Captain Jackson?"

"Sure," he pushed back his chair and stood, he seen it too. "Captain."

Danielle pushed back her chair and stood, glaring at her CO before she left with the Colonel, the door opened for them both and closed when they were gone.

Nick sat back in his chair, sighing, he knew this was going to be hard on his archaeologist; it was going to be hard on them all. But Danielle seemed to take everything to heart. She always did. "Jackson's father died after being injured in a Vollan attack," he said solemnly. "We were there when they brought him through the Stargate barely alive; there was nothing our doctors could do. She was 17, her brother was 6, they watched him die and then ascend… Two months later their mother died in an ambush on an S&R mission, she ascended also."

Elizabeth sat forward. "I don't know a lot about our Daniel Jackson's past, but his wife, was taken as a Goa'uld host and was later killed?"

That was different from their reality. "Aunt Myra was among a group of Alteran's that were saved by SG-3 in 1998, she and Uncle Daniel found an instant bond and she remained on Earth and was a doctor at the SGC. They got marry in 2000 and she remained at the SGC when Uncle Daniel ascended the first time. When SG-1 and their families went to Atlantis, she joined the medical staff and was with them until her ascension. She also had the ATA gene naturally, so she was able to use the Lantean medical equipment," he revealed, adding. "Jackson usually doesn't let what happened to her parents get to her, but the past month has been a little full on and to be truthful, I've been expecting her crack. We all have."

The Atlantis leader understood. "I think you probably all need a break, as I said the _Odyssey_ doesn't arrive for three days. I've had quarters arranged for you all and your packs taken to them. I suggest you get some rest and we'll talk more when our SG-1 arrives."

Nick agreed. "Thank you, Dr. Weir."

She nodded and smiled sympathetically.

0o0o0o0

John didn't guide Danielle in any direction, they just walked, which was a little unusual, having a visitor who knew their way around. It was also eerie in the fact he felt so at ease with her. "Is it much different to your Atlantis?"

"A little, we've populated the entire city and have a colony on the mainland, as well as a second city on another planet," she revealed.

"Whoa, wait a minute, you found another city like Atlantis?"

She nodded. "Well, SG-1 and SGA-1 did," she explained as they walked out onto one of the balconies. "They named it Serenity; six months after it was found, Uncle Cam was promoted and given command of the civilian and military personnel sent to the city."

"And I suppose you're not going to tell me the gate address to this other city?" He deduced as they stood at the railing.

She shrugged. "Sorry."

"Hey no problem, if we're meant to find it, we will," John dismissed a little disappointed.

Danielle nodded slowly, looking over the city and ocean. There were more differences, but she didn't think she should say what they were. She did her jacket up, shivering a little. With that had just happened to them, it was amazing she wasn't shaking as she came down from the adrenalin rush. "I guess you're finding this all a little unusual too."

"You could say that," he drawled "It's not everyday you meet a son from an alternate universe who is – what, in his twenties."

She giggled softly. "Major Sheppard is thirty-three actually."

"You're kidding?"

"No," she said with a grin. "I'm 27, well I will be in October."

"No way," he exclaimed, shocked.

She found it amusing. "We made contact with a race of people, who willingly shared technology. One thing they did share was their science on genetic engineering and re-sequencing." She explained. "Our aging has been slowed down; we look younger and live longer."

"And everyone's had this done?" He asked a little stunned.

"Everyone," she unzipped the pocket on the arm of her jacket and removed a photo incased in protective plastic. She showed him. "That was taken a few months before I lost my parents."

He took the photo; in it were the SG-1 team members he knew, minus Vala, looking not much older then they did now. With them were the SG-1 members of the future, who didn't look much different either. Daniel Jackson stood with his arm around a beautiful woman with light brown hair and startling blue eyes, that had to be was his wife. A young boy stood with them, who was obviously their son. Beside them was their John, holding his hand was a beautiful woman with long following mousy brown hair. Nick stood on his father's left, smiling his arm slung comfortable around Danielle. Next to Matt was a young woman who looked a lot like Nick, enough to be his sister; on her right as handsome young man and Cassie Fraiser (who looked older then the photo he'd seen in Sam Carter's lab. Cameron Mitchell stood with his arm around Carolyn Lam; Jason was next to them, along with another young woman, who had to be his sister. She stood with Bray and Ronan, who was hand in hand with Teyla. Rodney stood with his arm around Sam Carter, Teal'c stood just behind her, with a pretty blonde-haired woman. All were smiling.

"My dad was 56 when this photo was taken," she revealed.

"You're kidding. Except for some grey hair, he doesn't look any different then he does now." John declared, they all looked a lot younger then they should have been. There was something else though, there were people missing from the photo. "Vala Mal Doran isn't in this photo, neither is Jack O'Neill or Elizabeth."

Danielle took the photo back, retuning it to her pocket she suppressed an involuntary shiver. "Vala Mal Doran was killed in the finial battle with the Ori," she said guarded. "And President O'Neill was on Earth handing over the United States to its new President."

"Wait. President O'Neill?"

She smiled at his stunned expression. "Jack O'Neill was President of the United States from 2014 to 2022."

"Really?"

"Really."

"Who was Vise President?"

"Paul Davis, they worked together at the SGC and Pentagon, apparently."

"Wow." John couldn't get over that one; he got back on track though. "What about Elizabeth?" He saw her chew on her bottom lip, the smile was gone. He knew what that meant. "What happened?"

She shook her head. "It doesn't matter."

"Yes it does, I don't care about the timeline, what happened?" he demanded.

Danielle could see that in his eyes, he was so like Nick. "She was killed." She looked away quickly.

"The Wraith?"

Taking a breath, Danielle turned back, facing him, seeing the aguish in his eyes, hearing the pain in his voice. She wasn't going to tell him though, she couldn't. "She died a hero, Colonel, let's leave it at that."

"Captain…"

She put her hand on his arm. "I can't, Colonel, I'm sorry," she said gently, caressing his arm with her thumb, feeling the tension in his arm ease.

He nodded and stepped back out of her grasp, surprised at his own reaction. "Yeah, me too, I shouldn't have snapped."

"I've lost people I care about too, Colonel, I understand," she assured sympathetically.

Nodding again, he looked over the ocean; its peacefulness gave him some comfort. He turned and leant against the railing, crossing his arms against his chest. "Tell me about the John Sheppard you know?"

"Um, he was a member of SG-13, then SG-3, and then team leader of SG-2," Danielle revealed and then asked her own question. "Did you ever serve at the SGC?"

"No. I didn't even know about the Stargate until General O'Neill gave me clearance after we were attacked by a drone on the way to the Ancient outpost in Antarctica. "

"Well, then I suppose telling you this is okay," she decided and continued. "He was with SG-3 when they rescued Atira, and her people, my mother among them. Aunt Atira was a widow with a young son," she smiled shyly. "Uncle John always said he fell in love with Aunt Atira the moment he meet her." A crimson blush reddened her cheeks. "I suppose it's true, because six months later they got married. Aunt Atira and her son and my mother stayed on Earth after their people were relocated. Jaren was happy having Uncle John as his father and he was as excited as his new father when he found out his mother was going to have a baby. The shock was when they found out she was carrying twins."

"Twins?" John choked out; uncrossing his arms he gripped the railing.

She chuckled. "Yeah. According to Aunt Atira, Uncle John walked around with a grin on his face for a week, then it finally sunk in he was going to be the father of twins."

"I bet," he exclaimed, understanding exactly how his doppelganger felt.

"Um, Nick and Tori were born November 25th 1999, six minutes apart," she saw John smile. "Colonel?"

"That's the first time you've called the Major by his first name," he noted.

She shrugged casually, failing to keep the blush that once again made her cheeks crimson. "He's my best friend as well as my commanding officer."

He understood that, but he had a feeling there was more to it, especially by the flushed expression. "How about we go get some coffee," he suggested changing the subject. When her eyes lit up, he knew he'd made the right decision. "Oh you're a Jackson all right." He mused, feeling comfortable around her. "Come on."

She smiled and he guided her away from the balcony to the mess, they got coffee and sat away from everyone to talk.

"I get the feeling your SG-1 is close," he declared.

She nodded. "The guys are like big brothers," she revealed, rubbing her thumb over the lip of her mug. "Jason and I are close, he saved my life when my appendix nearly burst off world; he operated with Matt's help, while in contact with our Head of Medicine. He also taught me to fly an old F-302 when I was a teenager." She paused for a moment before continuing. "Matt and I are like kindred sprites in a way, we work late, share coffee at odd hours, bounce ideas off each other."

"What about Bray?"

"Bray taught me to defend myself and he's taken upon himself to be my protector, even though I'm capable of looking after myself." She looked from her mug and saw the curiosity in his eyes, knowing what he wanted to know. "And Major Sheppard," she stopped and caressed the lip of her mug once more. "Nick showed me how to fly a puddlejumper, let me take the controls when no one else would and even let me fly solo. He was there when my father died and ascended, he held me together, especially after my mother died and ascended two months later." Her voice filled with emotion and her eyes became wells of tears. "He's my best friend; he knows me better then anyone else."

John reached across the table and took her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked."

"It's okay," she said, but didn't pull her hand away, giving his hand an unconscious caress. "This can't be easy on you either."

"Well," he remarked, he was going to brush it off when he saw her warm smile. A smile that went straight to his heart, he came out of his daze when he heard Elizabeth's voice come over his earpiece, telling him about the quarters that had been set up for the Captain. He acknowledged her quickly and then addressed the young woman. "Quarter's have been arranged. I'll take you to them so you can get some rest."

She pulled her hand away, feeling a little embarrassed when she realized what she'd been doing. Regaining her control, he was a ranking officer and she was getting too familiar. "Thank you, sir."

John nodded slowly, not understanding what he was feeling himself. There was something about Danielle Jackson that reached out to his heart and wasn't just the fact she was strong with the ATA gene. He shook it off and stood, waiting until she had. Together they left the mess. It was then he noticed she hugging tight into her jacket, frowning concerned. "Captain, are you all right?"

She managed a smile. "I'm just a little cold, it's nothing, Colonel."

He thought different. "Maybe Beckett should check you out again."

"Really, Sir, I'm fine," she assured. "I promise if I start to feel ill I'll contact Dr. Beckett straight away."

"All right," he yielded and showing her to the quarters altercated to her. Her pack was already inside. Standing there inside her quarters, he was the one to feel a little uncomfortable. "I'll leave you to get some rest."

Danielle turned, as much as she wanted to see her Uncle John in this man, she couldn't; they'd lived very different lives and were very different men. Who she saw was an attractive Air Force officer. "Thank you, Colonel."

John gave her a friendly smile. "Just remember, if you start to feel ill contact the doc."

"I will." She assured. "I promise."

He gave her another smile and left the quarters, the door shutting.

Danielle sighed and looked around, the quarters were normal for Atlantis. Grabbing her pack she put it on the bed and went through it, finding what she was looking for, a med-pen. Stripping off her jacket she put the med-pen to her arm and injected the medication in her arm; the cold was still there but she didn't shiver any more. Dropping it back into her pack she sat on the bed and unlaced her boots, pulling them and her socks off, standing she undid her trousers and stripped them off, folding she left them on the bed and patted bare foot into the bathroom. Removing the rest of her clothing she took a warm shower. Resting her head against the cool tiles, she closed her eyes and let the water run down her back. This wasn't how she expected the mission to end; now they were stack in an alternate universe and the past of all places. And in three days time she would be coming face to face with an alternate version of her father. She's watched her father die and ascend, grieved for his lose and not long after her mother's.

"Jackson!"

She jerked her head up, hearing her name being called. "In the shower!"

Nick walked into the bathroom, seeing her silhouette in the recess door. He lent casually against the wall, his arms crossed against his chest. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine," she assured.

"What about seeing your father again?" He asked her.

Danielle lent against the shower wall, wiping the water from her face. "He isn't my father," she corrected. "Just as Lt. Colonel Sheppard isn't your father. This John Sheppard didn't serve at the SGC or save your mother or mine. These people aren't the people we know."

"No they're not, but we're going to have to interact with them until we can get home," he stated and then added. "I saw the med-pen…"

"I took my med's, Nick," she interrupted.

"Did you say anything to Dr. Beckett?"

"No."

"It might be best if you do; they trust us, we should trust them."

She nodded, even though he couldn't see her. "All right," she turned off the shower and squeezed the water from her braided light brown hair. A towel was passed in to her, she took it; thanking him she quickly dried herself and then wrapped it around her body, stepping out of the recess, seeing her CO was still there. "Was Bray able to hack into their database and take a look?"

Nick nodded and followed her into the main room; he walked over to the windows, pushing the curtains back a little he looked out at the ocean. "He's doing that now, apparently they've only got one ZPM; they're using naquadah generators to help power the city."

Danielle pulled clean clothes from her pack and quickly dressed while his back was turned, not that either was embarrassed. They shared a locker room in their time and reality. They'd seen each other at the best and worst. Dressed she sat on the bed and pulled on her socks and boot's, lacing them up quickly. She then unbraided her hair and rubbed it dry with the towel. "Do you think they'd let us wander around on our own?"

"Nope, not a chance, there's a Marine at either end of the hallway," he reported turning back, the curtains dropping back into place. "And we're supposed to be resting."

"Right," she got to her feet and quickly re-braided her hair. "So where are the guys?"

"My quarters, McKay was given a comp tablet by Dr. McKay with the data from our arrival, so he's working on that. Mitchell is waiting to check you over; we all noticed you were shivering."

"I'm fine," she protested.

"Yes, I'm still your CO, so move."

She sighed and followed him out of her quarters, taking note of the two Marines, not that either would be able to stop them if they really wanted out. She followed Nick into his quarters.

Jason Mitchell was his father's son, blue eyes, brown hair and a sexy smile; this was one young man who was carbon copy of his dad. He was a girls dream and a father's nightmare. He'd completed his medical degree, but had been an F-306 pilot until an accident had robbed him off his ability to fly with a fighter squadron. He'd transferred to SG-1 after recovering from reconstruction surgery on his left knee and spine. He still flew when given the chance, but couldn't qualify to return to a squadron full time.

"Here she is, as promised, _Shaft_," Nick smirked smugly.

"Thanks Major," he gestured Danielle over to where he had his medical kit.

She went reluctantly. "I'm fine," she whined.

"And I just want to make sure," he announced.

Danielle gave in and took the seat he offered.

Nick went over to Bray, who was seated on the sofa, a laptop on his lap, they hadn't thought they could do much damage or they wouldn't have let them have the computer. "What did you find out?"

His friend chuckled; hacking into the records had been easy and a little disturbing. "That your alternate father is as bad as you are; in more ways then one."

"Thanks buddy."

"You're welcome."

Shaking his head, Nick made his way over to Matt, who was sitting on the floor, with his back up against the wall, the computer tablet in one hand, a stylus pen in the other. "So, McKay," he hankered down, "found anything interesting?"

"I'm getting there, Major."

Even though they were the same rank, Nick still had seniority on him. Not that it bothered either men. "Ball pack figure, McKay. When will you know?"

Matt looked up and gave a frustrated glare. "When I go through all this data, Sheppard."

"Right," his CO drawled and stood. "Leaving you alone," he turned and saw Mitchell was running a medical palm scanner over his archaeologist. "How she is, Jace?"

"Well traveling from one reality to another and through time hasn't caused any side effects so far," he reported, checking the data. "As long as Dani keeps taking her med's as prescribed, she shouldn't have any problems."

"Good," Nick said as he moved closer. "What about the shivering?"

"It's just a delayed reaction of what's happened," he assured. He put the scanner away, smiling at his friend. "Dani is fine."

Danielle stood and smiled smugly. "Told you."

"Yeah, well, who knows how long we're going to be here," Nick stated, hiding the fact he was gratefully she was fine. He gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze, there eyes locking for a moment and he saw her smile. That smile that could melt the coldness of hearts and captured his, he pulled his hand away. "Okay, so what do we tell them and what don't we?"

She shoved her hands into her jacket pockets and moved about the room, she always thought better on her feet. "I've been thinking about that and since this isn't the past of our future, then it's possible that events that happened in our present, their future, might not happen here at all," she theorized.

"Such as?"

She stopped pacing. "Well, the John Sheppard here never served at the SGC or saved a group of Lantean's. Which means you and I were never born and neither were our siblings. So it's possible in 2007, the Daniel Jackson of this reality won't witness Vala Mal Doran's death at her daughter's hands, or in 2009 be Uncle Jack's best man when he remarries Aunt Sara," she expanded her theory. "Nor will he die and ascend in 2022."

"What about Dr. Weir?" Jason asked her. "In our reality, she died."

"I know," Danielle turned to Bray. "What's the date, I know they said we'd come back 26 years, so it's 2006?"

"September 2nd," he answered her. Then thought it through, recalling childhood memories. "Elizabeth Weir was killed in October of 2006 during the attack on the city by the Asurans."

Nick recalled that too. "So you're saying it's possible, none of that is going to happen?"

"It's possible; I mean that was our reality, not this one."

"Dani has a point; we don't know what the future holds here, because it hasn't happened yet." Matt pointed out, adding his viewpoint.

"As I said, in this reality, John Sheppard never worked at the SGC or married Aunty Atira." Danielle added. "He didn't even know about the Stargate until a mishap gave him clearance."

Rubbing his forehead, Nick sighed. "This is giving me a headache," he moaned and the rest of his team chuckled. "So we just take one day at a time and see what happens?"

"That's about it." Matt announced. "Now, can I get back to the problem at hand?"

"By all means," Nick said with a touch of sarcasm.

0o0o0o0

Elizabeth hurried over to Carson. "You wanted to see me."

"Yes, luv," he handed her a computer tablet. "The last of the DNA tests and I've had a chance to take a close look at the MRI's and the data from the full body scans."

She glanced over them, frowning at one. "Are you sure this is Captain Jackson's."

"Aye," he saw her look up. "I checked the results twice just to make sure."

Rodney and John came in before she could comment, the scientist interrupting. "Our guests have hacked into the Ancient database and our database."

"It seems they're bored." John added lightly.

Elizabeth smiled at his flippancy. "There's more," she remarked and handed the computer tablet to Rodney.

He looked at it, glancing up. "I thought you already fingered out her DNA was Lantean."

"Aye I did, but this is more, Rodney," Carson exclaimed. "I wouldn't even try to estimate her IQ, because I'd think it would be off the chart. The amount of brain activity registered would indicate mental abilities beyond what is capable for a normal human being."

"So she's some super genius?" Rodney asked him, quiet put out.

"It's more than that."

"Look," John interrupted both men. "Why don't we just ask her?" he suggested and once they'd nodded, tapped his earpiece. "Sergeant Brooks."

"_Yes sir_."

"What's your location?"

"_We're in the mess, sir. Captain Jackson threatened bodily harm if I didn't let her have coffee_."

John chuckled. "It's a good thing you obeyed orders then, Sergeant," he smirked. "Tell, Captain Jackson, we'd like a word with her in the infirmary."

"_We're on our way sir_."

"Oh and Sergeant, tell the Captain she can bring her coffee."

"_Yes sir_."

"Smart, move," Rodney declared. "It's not wise to get between a Jackson and coffee. Not wise at all."

"Especially this Jackson," Carson remarked seriously.

John was curious about that, but didn't comment. Something was nagging at him, it had been all morning and couldn't put his finger on what it was. "When does the _Odyssey_ arrive?"

"Tomorrow morning?" Elizabeth answered. "SG-1 is eager to meet SG-1 of the future, even if it is an alternate future."

There was a flash of light and the future SG-1 transported in along with Sergeant Brooks, who looked a little stunned.

Matt was grinning. "Told you it would work," he said smugly.

"Yes, sir, sorry I doubted you." Brooks apologized.

"No problem."

Rodney stormed over to them. "How did you do that, it's not possible to transport from one location to another without the use of the transporter chambers?"

Matt went into a long explanation that used a lot of technical talk that had Rodney nodding and thinking hard about what he was being told.

John looked over to his alternate son, who along with the rest of his team moved away from them. "Does he do that a lot?"

"Yes."

"How do you put up with it?"

"I threaten to shot him," Nick said calmly. "But then again, he does his best work under pressure. You?"

"The same and I carry around this," John pulled a lemon from the pocket of his shirt. "Just in case I need an answer sooner rather then later."

Both McKay's stopped talking, watching the lemon being thrown up in the air and caught again.

"All right, enough," Elizabeth ordered slightly amused. "John, put the lemon away."

Smiling he did so. "So Rodney, can we continue?"

"Yes, but," he glared at Matt. "We're not done."

He chuckled. "I'd be happy to explain it all to you later."

"Thank you." Rodney said; his voice faded as he took notice of what Danielle was doing. He'd also noted she seemed a little lethargic in her actions. Having put her empty coffee up on one of the equipment trolleys she was accessing data from a Lantean terminal. The data was scrolling up the screen in Ancient; however she was standing with her hands in her trouser pockets.

Nick frowned at the way they were watching, noting she'd zoned, and that bothered him. "Jackson!"

She jumped startled, which made her throbbing heard worse, turning she removed her hands, waving one in front of the screen to shut down. "Sorry," she said softly. "I was curious." She joined them.

"How did you do that?" Elizabeth inquired interested.

Danielle shrugged casually, which again wasn't smart with a headache. She hid her wince. "Anyone with the ATA gene can do it."

"Or with increased mental abilities as yourself," Carson added, noting she looked a little pale.

"She's telling the truth, Doc," Nick contradicted, the hair on the back of his neck was bristling; he forced himself to walk over to the terminal and activated it with a wave of his hand. He made a mental request and data scrolled up the screen. He shut it down the same way, turning. "See, nothing to it."

Carson wasn't so convinced, addressing Danielle again, the color was fading from her face and she had dark circles under her eyes. What worried him. "Captain, I've gone over the results of the tests I preformed. You're DNA says your Lantean, with strains of human DNA. You're MRI shows your mental capabilities are way above anything we've encountered or the SGC has."

Sighing she rubbed her temples; the dull throbbing headache she'd woken up with was getting worse very quickly, making her feel nauseas. "What I'm able to do…. and what you think I can do… are two different things, Dr. Beckett."

Nick felt the hair on the back on his neck bristle again and he got worried. "Dani, what's wrong?"

Squeezing her eyes shut as she pinched the bridge of her nose with one hand, the throbbing had turned blindingly painful in seconds making her stomach feel like it was going to rebel. She blindly grabbed for his arm and found it. "Headache," she said almost whimpering in pain.

Jason pushed past Carson and grabbed the Ancient medical scanner from the equipment trolley, using it, scanning her. "How bad, Dani, scale it for me?"

"Ten and rising," she whispered, keeping her eyes shut, feeling the darkness fast approaching.

He nodded to Nick, who swung his archaeologist up into his arms; she whimpered as he did and carried her to the nearest bed, laying her down gently. He said something in Lantean and the lights dimmed. Jason looked to Bray. "I need my med kit."

He nodded and took off with Brooks hot on his heals.

Carson was quickly at his side. "What can I do lad."

"We need to get her on her side," he ordered and was helped by Carson, the young woman was now unconscious, but the pain was still evident on her face. "Dani was captured by Vollans during an S&R, they put her in a chamber, trying to force her to Ascend under torture," he reported. "We managed to rescue her, but the side effects of what they did to her, are blinding headaches that come on without warning." He stopped reading the date given on the scanner, dumping it quickly. Jason nodded to his CO. "Sir."

Nick put a hand on the back of her head and the other on her lower back and closed his eyes, concentrating; a soft glow appeared under his hands.

Bray suddenly came rushing back in with the med kit, questions how he'd gotten back so fast were held back. So was why Brooks wasn't with him. He gave Jason the med kit and then stepped back.

Jason opened the kit on the equipment tray and pulled out a med pen, loading it with medication he put it to Danielle's neck and activated it. The medication was given with a hiss; he dropped it back on the kit and picked up the scanner, using the prep healer to get readings. They were improving. "It's working sir, keep going."

"What did you give her?" Carson asked him.

"A drug one of our allies gave us; it's called Memitrex. That in conjunction with the Major easing the tension in her spine and neck, it reacts quickly."

"How is he easing the tension?" Rodney inquired.

"Lantean reflexology I suppose is the best way to describe it," Jason explained, keeping his voice down. "We found out about it by accident, but it works."

"Does the Major have the ability to heal?" Carson inquired and saw the younger doctor slowly shake his head no. "Interesting."

Jason saw the reading he was getting from both his friend and the Major; he looked to his Satedan/Athosian teammate. "You'd better get ready, Major."

Bray moved to stand behind his friend, when Nick removed his hands, he stepped back and collapsed unconscious. Bray held him up. "I've got you, Shepp," he said softly.

John was instantly at his side to give a hand and between the two of them they got Nick onto a bed, laying him down, before moving out the way.

Carson quickly hooked him up to the monitors and put a pulse monitor on his finger, taking note of the readings as he checked him over. "How long does he usually say unconscious for?"

"Thirty minutes to an hour, depending on the severity of the attack." Jason informed, he was hooking Danielle to the monitor's too, but kept her on her side; getting the look at the readings. "The more sever the attack, the more he has to draw on his own strength."

Elizabeth came closer, still a little disturbed by what had happened. "Captain Mitchell, how is it Captain Jackson was cleared for off world travel if she's having these attacks?"

"Because before we arrived here, Dani hadn't had an attack in four months," Jason revealed protectively. "I checked her medically the day we arrived and she was fine. So this has to have been triggered by a delayed reaction to traveling back in time to an alternate universe."

"No one is blaming you, lad," Carson assured him, making sure it didn't become more. "In light of what just happened, I'd like to check for cellular degradation. So make yourselves comfortable."

"We'll leave you to it," Elizabeth insisted and ushered a reluctant John and Rodney out of the infirmary, finding their missing Sergeant. "Sergeant Brooks."

"Sorry ma'am, the Major was quicker on his own and since the seriousness of the situation…"

"It's all right, Sergeant," John insisted. "You did the right thing. When Dr. Beckett is finished, you can escort them back to their quarters."

"Yes, Sir," he acknowledged and slipped back into the infirmary.

They continued, heading for Elizabeth's office. "What exactly did the future SG-1 hack into?" she inquired.

"Well, mission reports, personnel files," Rodney answered. "As well as personal files of just about everyone in the city, military and civilian."

"The science departments Original Star Trek episodes," John said teasing. Smiling as his friend frowned at him, stating mater of fact. "They were checking us out, Elizabeth."

She nodded. "I agree. Given the chance we would have done the same."

"I wouldn't mind having a look at their personnel files," he commented.

"You just want to find out who the alternate you, married." Rodney sniped.

"I already know that," John said with a touch of smugness. "Her name is Atira and the alternate me meet her while a member of SG-3. He helped save her, her son and a handful of her people. They fell in love and got married. Nick has a twin sister, Tori," he saw they were surprised. "What, Danielle told me; her mother was in the group."

Elizabeth smiled at his sudden embarrassment. "You've been spending a lot of time with them."

He shrugged. "I'm just trying to help them feel at home."

Rodney started clicking his fingers as a thought struck him. "You know, we maybe able to look at their personnel records."

"How?" John asked him. "Take a trip to an alternate universe and ask?"

"Funny," the astrophysicist said blandly. "But no. I got a good look at Matt's dog tags, they've got a computer chip embedded in them, and I bet it contains their personnel records."

Elizabeth was impressed. "Find out and let me know."

He grinned and hurried away.

John rolled his eyes. "You realize if he's right, we're never going to hear the last of it."

She nodded and grinned, chuckling. "Keep him out of Carson's way."

"Right," the Colonel did an about face and headed back to the infirmary. By the time he got there Rodney was already in conversation with Matt, who had removed his tags and was pointed out a few things. John sighed when Rodney called Zelenka and barked orders at the man, getting his own way.

Jason chuckled, hooking his stethoscope around his neck. "He doesn't change much in 26 years, Colonel," he remarked. "Though he did actually let Dr. Zelenka take credit once, which surprised everyone."

"I bet that hurt."

"Oh it did, sir," the younger man remarked. "Of course, Uncle Rodney was also Uncle Radek's best man when he got married."

John couldn't help but chuckle. "You guys are more like family then a team."

He shrugged casually. "I suppose in a way we are. With everything we've been through, it's the reason why we're still alive and still sane."

Radek arrived with what Rodney wanted and the three of them went to work.

John stole a glance at his alternate son. "How long has Nick been a member of SG-1?"

"Six years, two of those he was 2IC," Jason said with brotherly pride. "He's been with the program since he graduated from the Academy. Those of us, who have been born into Stargate program so to speak, go through the Air Force Academy's Advance Course. Everyone else has to be chosen for it."

"How advanced?" the Colonel wanted to know, digging for information.

"As well as selected classes, there's flight training, an air commando operations course, special operations and an off world commando operations course," the young Captain revealed, seeing the look of surprise on the Colonel's face. "I did my medical degree while at the Academy on top of all that and Dani finished off two PhD's and a Masters degree as well."

"You mean they made her go through all of that," John exclaimed in disbelief.

Jason smiled. "She completed all requirements in two years instead of four," he praised. "But that's our Dani, over achiever. She finished high school in six months and had her first PhD by the time she was sixteen."

"How many does she have?"

"Four PhD's and 2 Masters Degree's, she speaks 43 languages."

"You're kidding?"

"No," he chuckled. "Major Sheppard has three PhD's and a Masters Degree, as well as being able to speak about 5 different languages. Major Dex has 2 Masters Degree's and speaks 3 languages. Major McKay has 5 PhD's and a Masters Degree, he speaks 2 languages. I have 2 Masters Degrees, a MD and speak 2 languages."

"What two?"

"Lantean and Abydonian."

"Abydonian?"

"Yes sir, I leant both in school," he shrugged. "But then again, my family had moved to Atlantis by the time I was ready to start school."

"That must have made school interesting."

"Yes Sir."

"You know," John crossed his arms against his chest. "I would never have thought a daughter of Dr. Jackson's would have joined the Air Force, nor kid of Ronan and Teyla's. McKay and Carter's, well…."

"They didn't have much of a choice, Colonel. All off world teams are Military, there aren't any civilian's on teams any more." Jason explained. "Not since President O'Neill passed an amendment in 2014 that no civilian was to be a part of an off world team."

"So how did the civilians already in active teams get along then?"

"President O'Neill organized for those civilians who were currently serving in an off world teams, that wanted to remain in those teams, to be given direct entry," the Captain revealed. "No exceptions were given after that. Even our civilian doctors are Air Force. And Aunt Sam was already in charge of Atlantis by 2014, city Governors are civilian."

John saw Danielle stir restlessly in her sleep, he moved to her side and reached out, gently brushing his fingers over her cheek, she settled under his touch. "Is she like her father?"

"Oh yeah," Jason answered smiling warmly, recalling his Uncle John being able to settle his friend.

Bray had escaped Carson, joining them, over hearing them. "Nick is named after her father," he revealed. "He saved the then 'Major' Sheppard's life two days before Nick was born."

"Nicholas is Uncle Daniel's middle name; they just swapped them around so the Major would have his own identity." Jason clarified.

Carson came over to them. "Colonel, would you tell Rodney, my infirmary is not his lab."

"I'll see what I can do, doc," John said with a smile and went over to the three scientists. "Rodney, you're upsetting the doc, do you have what you need?"

"No, I don't," he retorted. "I need to scan Major Sheppard's tags, Captain Jackson's and Captain Mitchell's."

Jason walked over with the three sets of tags. "Here you go, Doc."

"Thank you," he took them. "At least someone here is thinking."

Radek shook his head. "We can do the rest in the lab, Rodney."

"Yes, yes, in a minute," Rodney muttered and continued, scanning the chips on the three tags, when he was done he handed them back to Jason. "All right, let's go," he gathered together his equipment.

Radek did the same and followed his friend out of the infirmary, as the others chuckled.

Jason handed Danielle's tags to John. "Would you mind, Sir, I'll do the Major's."

"No problem," he declared and went over the unconscious young woman, carefully putting the dog tags back around her neck. He'd spent enough time with them to see his alternate son had some deep feelings for the young woman and he could see how it was possible. She had a regal beauty, and eyes that held not only pain but happiness as well. Seeing her sleeping, he swore she looked even less then twenty-seven then she did awake. More like seventeen or eighteen. Too damn young for all she'd been through, and too innocent. She was almost child like in her sleep.

Nick woke and for a moment wondered where he was, and then he remembered what had happened. He saw Matt and Bray talking quietly; Jason was conversing with Dr. Beckett. Turning his head he saw John Sheppard with Danielle, the Lt. Colonel had a look on his face that Nick had seen too many times. It seemed another man had fallen under the Jackson spell. He pulled himself up and sat cross-legged on the bed, plucking the pulse monitor off his finger.

Carson came over to him. "How are you feeling, Major?"

"Fine," he answered and nodded to his archaeologist. "How is my girl?"

"Danielle is resting peacefully, Major," the Scottish doctor assured. "I'll keep her in the infirmary and release her in the morning. Captain Mitchell has explained the medication he gave her and everything else I should have known in the first place."

"Sorry doc, I told her she should tell you, I guess it just slipped her mind."

"Quiet all right, lad, it's been unusual few days for us all," Carson said and began unhooking the Major from the monitors. "You're free to return to your quarters, I'd like you to rest through. Take the rest of your team with you."

"No offence doc, but we don't leave a member of our team alone, so one of us will be with her at all times. It's our policy." Nick informed. "I'm surprised Mitchell didn't tell you that."

"He did lad, I just had to try," Carson said with a smile. "I'll get you a chair." He patted the Major's arm and walked away.

Nick got off the bed; he checked in briefly with the rest of his team and then went over to where his archaeologist was laying; standing next to the Colonel. The man might have been an alternate version of his father, a younger, alternate version of her father. But he was also different then the man who had guided him through life. "We joke that every man who meet's Dani falls in love with her," he said lightly, keeping his voice down. "Some women too," he saw John look at him and not the fact he was holding Danielle's hand or caressing it with his thumb. There was a lot of emotion in his voice. "She's too damn trusting at times; she never sees the harm that can befall her or the danger she's in until it's too late."

"They never do," John declared agreeing wholeheartedly. "I have a scientist that's the same; though," he paused briefly, then put fourth. "I'm not in love with my scientist."

Swallowing hard, Nick hesitated for a moment. "She doesn't know."

"Oh she does," the Colonel contradicted him. "Trust me, she knows," he brushed the hair back from Danielle's forehead and then turned, giving the Major a warning. "Just don't do anything stupid and hurt her, understand. Because I know for certain if you did, your father is going to kick your ass for you."

"If we get home," the Major pointed out.

"Well if you don't, I'll do it for him," John said sternly and then left the infirmary.

Nick smiled warmly at that. "Not going to happen," he promised her in a whisper. "I'd never hurt you, Dani. Never."

To be continued…..


	2. Family Ties

**Title:** **_Unending_******

**Author:** Anaika Skywalker

**Rating:** M

**Disclaimer:** Don't own it, wish I did, I just like to play in their universe once and a while. I'll put them back when I'm finished. I promise.

**Author's Note: **Okay, this chapter went through a number of drafts until I got to the end. As I said before, this story isn't beta read, so any and all mistakes are mine and my computer's, it did its best. I'm just damn stubborn at times.

**_Winjan: _**I know it's a different combination for me, but I'm glad you like it. **_WingedIsis16:_** I'm afraid I do long chapters, but I'm glad you enjoyed it. I hope you enjoy this one. **_PrinCeSsJeNn: _**Wait no longer, I hope this chapter keeps you hooked too. **_Scottiedog: _**Thanks for like this one. Atlantis isn't my usual play ground, but it has been fun. **_Carver: _**Thank you so much for the review. Wow, I love flattery like that. I'm honored you think my stories are addictive. I hope you enjoy this chapter.

****

**_Unending_**

Chapter Two: **_Family Ties_**

A nurse hurried out of the lab, spotting who she was looking for. "Dr. Beckett?"

Carson turned. "Yes, Leanne?"

She handed him the computer tablet. "The results you were waiting for, doctor." She saw him frown as he looked at them. "We ran them twice."

He shook his head. "Let's run them once more, just to make sure," he told her and followed her back into the lab. Running the test, a third time didn't change the results at all. Frowning he took the computer tablet and hurried out of the lab, going straight to Elizabeth Weir's office; finding Colonel Sheppard there as well.

"Carson," Elizabeth greeted with a warm smile.

"We may have a problem," he said gravely and took a seat next to the colonel. "I have the results of the last set of tests I ran on our future SG-1."

"Something surprising come up doc?" John asked.

"Aye lad," Carson agreed and handed Elizabeth the tablet. "They're genetic clones."

"Clones," she looked at the results shown, not understanding most of it. "How's that possible?"

"There's a distinctive marker in their genetic make up," he revealed. "I'm guessing, but whatever hit the Stargate when SG-1 entered in the future, it cloned them genetically. The clones came back in time to our reality and the real SG-1 went home without any knowledge of what happened."

"Which explains why no one has come looking for them," John supposed. "If that's even possible."

Carson nodded. "I wouldn't even really call them clones, as I said; they would be genetically identical to their doppelgangers, it's as if they were twined. And there's more."

"More?" Elizabeth handed the computer tablet back.

"Aye luv," he agreed. "They're going to age slowly, which they've already informed us, but when ya said they looked younger then they should. You were right. Genetic aging has Major Sheppard at 23, Major McKay at 22, Major Dex at 24, Captain Mitchell at 18 nearly19 and Captain Jackson at 17 nearly 18; which when ya take in account the month they were born, not the year that would be correct."

"Well, this puts a whole new twist to the tale," John remarked a little sarcastically. "We can't send them back, because they're already there and they've gotten younger to top it all off."

Rodney hurried in excited by his news, grinning. "I have their personnel records, you won't believe these," he said and then saw the expressions on their faces. "What?"

"Have a seat Rodney," John told him and when the scientist had sat down, he gestured to Carson. "Doc, fill McKay in."

Carson did, Rodney didn't seem that put out about it. "So we can keep them, I mean not actually keep them, but they can stay here, can't they?" He asked his enthusiasm back.

Elizabeth chuckled. "I'm not sure Rodney."

"You seem a little too happy about this," John noted.

"Well, Major McKay is brilliant, almost as brilliant as I am."

Carson snorted. "The Major has an IQ of 165, Rodney; he's going to give ya a run for your money."

"Oh very funny."

"Not to mention what Jackson is going to do," John stated with a grin. "Super genius there."

Rodney ignored them. "Yes well according to her personnel record, her IQ is off the chart," he revealed. "She has doctorates in Archaeology, Anthropology, Philology and Psychology; as well as Master's degrees in Literature and historiography. She speaks forty-three languages, twenty of them alien. She's flight qualified on a number of Air Force jet's as well both the F-302 and 304, Goa'uld death gliders, cargo ships, puddlejumpers and their advanced stealth attack fighter, the F-306." He handed John the computer tablet he had. "Take a look at her commendations."

He did. "Holly crap!"

"That good?" Elizabeth asked him, a little amused by his reaction.

"Air Force Cross, Distinguished Service medal, Silver star, Bronze star, two Purple Hearts, an Air Medal, Air Force commendation medal and a National Defense service medal," he read out and then skimmed the file. "She spent a two years at the Academy, skipped the rank of 2nd Lieutenant all together and graduated a 1st Lieutenant and returned to Atlantis. She was assigned to SGA-10, two years later transferred to SGA-2 and then two years after that SG-1, she's been with them four years. She rated level 3 in hand to hand combat and is level 2 in Satedan and Athosian fighting styles." John looked up. "Mitchell told me they all went through an advanced course at the Air Force Academy, apparently all children born into the Stargate program that join up do. We're talking flight training, special operations training and an off world commando operations course; as well as designated classes. She completed two PhD's and a Masters Degree while at the Academy."

"Well you're the one who called her a super genius," Rodney said smugly. "Looks like you were right."

"All right gentlemen, that's enough," Elizabeth ordered, she looked to Carson. "Do they know yet?"

"No luv."

She looked at her watch. "The _Odyssey_ is due to arrive in thirty minutes, I think it might be best if we break this to them before our SG-1 arrives." She saw them all nod and tapped her ear piece. "Sergeant Brooks."

"_Yes Ma'am_."

"Can you escort SG-1 to the conference room, Sergeant, please?"

"_Yes Ma'am_."

She then addressed Carson. "Have you released Captain Jackson from the infirmary?"

"Aye, luv, she woke up this morning not remembering what happened, but apparently that's normal, requesting coffee. Captain Mitchell told me it's not wise to have a coffee deprived Jackson in one's infirmary," he mused. "He said it isn't pretty."

Elizabeth knew that from her experience with Daniel Jackson. "Well, let's go break the news to them."

Getting up, they left the office.

"Actually this is kind of a good thing," Rodney pointed out.

"How do you figure that out, Rodney?" John inquired, frowning at little.

"Well, the amount of energy it would take to power the Gate to send them back would be immense."

"How immense?" Elizabeth asked.

"Five fully power ZeePM immense," the Canadian scientist said bluntly.

"My God, Rodney, it was bloody lucky they weren't killed coming through." Carson exclaimed.

"Let alone be able to come through running." Elizabeth agreed with the doctor.

They approached the conference room, the doors opening on a mental command from John; they walked in thinking nothing off it.

"What are we going to do with them?" John asked Elizabeth quietly as Rodney talked with Carson.

"To be honest, I don't know," she admitted. "I'm hoping if they're allowed to, they'll stay here. Atlantis could benefit from having our very own SG-1."

He smiled at that. "We could, but could it handle having two Sheppard's, two Dex's and two McKay's around, not to mention a Mitchell and a Jackson?"

"I think we'll manage," she said finding it amusing.

"There's something else, Elizabeth," John said and drew her away from the others, which wasn't easy in the conference room. "Nick is in love with Dani."

She wasn't expecting that. "You're sure?"

"I'm sure," he answered. "He hasn't told her and from what I pieced together, it isn't one way, she loves him too."

"Damn," Elizabeth hissed under her breath. "Keep this to yourself for the moment."

He nodded. "My lips are sealed," he promised.

They took their seats as Ronan, Teyla arrived with Sergeant Brooks, and the future SG-1, sitting down, the sergeant stood out of the way. The future team seemed comfortable with them, having dealt with the situation the best they could under the circumstances.

"Dr. Beckett has the results of the last set of tests he preformed." Elizabeth informed them. "The news isn't what we expected."

"How bad can it be, Dr. Weir?" Matt asked her.

Carson sighed. "The tests have revealed an anomaly in your genetic make up," he told them.

"What kind of anomaly, Dr. Beckett?" Jason inquired. Carson passed his computer tablet around to the young doctor. Who looked at results, his face became pale. "Oh crap."

Nick was concerned, which made his team tense. "Captain?"

"We're clones sir, or more precise genetic twins… the real SG-1 went home," the young officer revealed stunned. "And there's more. We're genetically younger then our doppelgangers."

"I'm sorry, Major." Carson apologized, noticing young Danielle had paled too.

"You've got nothing to be sorry for, Dr. Beckett," Nick told him holding it together, even though his gut twisted and threatened to rebel. "We've always know the risks of stepping through the Stargate." He noticed his archaeologist had wrapped herself in a protective hug. He forced himself to look away and address the Atlantis leader. "What happens now, Dr. Weir?"

"I'm going to request that you be allowed to remain here," Elizabeth said sincerely. "We'd like Atlantis to be your home." She paused and then revealed. "However due to the differences now in your ages, I'm not sure what repercussions will accrue concerning the Air Force."

"Look, whatever the Air Force, says, as far as I'm concerned, you guys are still a team and will remain a team," John told them frankly. "So if you want to stay here, then you'll be put on the mission roster."

"Thank you, Sir." Nick acknowledged him.

"Why don't we give you a moment alone," Elizabeth suggested and at the Major's nod, she and Sheppard's team left the conference room.

Chuck came over to them. "Dr. Weir, the _Odyssey_ has arrived."

"Thank you," she tapped her earpiece. "_Odyssey_, this is Weir, welcome to Atlantis."

"_Thank you, Dr. Weir_." Colonel Davison acknowledged. "_We have the beacon and are on final approach, General O'Neill and SG-1 are aguish to meet with yourself and Colonel Sheppard_."

"I'll have them escorted to the conference room as soon as you land," Elizabeth assured him, surprised to hear Jack O'Neill was with them. "Weir out." She turned to John, seeing his reactions to the news of the General's arrival. He was just as surprised as she was. "Take your team and collect our guest's vests and weapons. I'd like to get show and tell over quickly, I don't think they're really up to anything too fancy at the moment; let alone General O'Neill."

He nodded. "I'll have Lorne meet SG-1 and the General. I'll tell him to bring them to the conference room."

"Thank you. Cason and I'll go check on our guest's," she informed and they headed back to the conference room as John and his team left operations.

Inside the conference room, Nick stood with his archaeologist in his arms, her hands gripped the back of his fatigue shirt; her head was buried in the crock of his shoulder. He rubbed her back slowly as her body trembled with ever sob, he'd been expecting her to break, the news had just brought it on sooner. He wanted to break too, but he couldn't. Not in front of his team, he had to be strong for them. Later, he could fall apart, later when he was alone. Then and only then.

Bray went over to Jason, who seemed to be in shock too, he was the second youngest of the team, even now. "Hey, _Shaft_, you all right?" He put a hand on his friends arm and saw his eyes were glassy with tears. The young doctor had been through a lot in his life. "We're going to be all right, kid."

"We're not even who we should be, Major, we're genetic twins."

"Hey," he gripped Jason's arm a little tighter, he'd always been protective of his team, the younger members even more so. "Now listen to me, I don't care what the doc says. We're SG-1; no stupid test is going to convince me different. I know who I am. I'm Bray Dex. You're Jason Mitchell," he jabbed a thumb at McKay. "That's Matt McKay," he pointed to Sheppard and Jackson, "And there is Nick Sheppard and Dani Jackson. Got me?"

He nodded and didn't care that the taller man pulled him into a hug he needed one. They both did. He pulled away and wiped his eyes. "Thanks."

"You're welcome," Bray said, grinning. "Just don't pass it around, I have a reputation to protect," he smirked and saw his friend smile. Glancing over to Matt. "Hey, McKay, how you doing?"

"If I say fine, will you refrain from hugging me too?" Matt asked peering at him skeptically.

Bray laughed. "Sure, might do this though," he stalled over and scuffed his hair.

"Gee, thanks," the young Major grumbled and straightened his chair. "All making you younger did, was release your inner child, Major."

"Yep."

Nick smiled, relieved the rest of his team was handling this, he looked down at his archaeologist and tilted her face up, and wiping her tear streaked cheeks. "We're going to be all right, Dani. I promise."

She nodded slowly, trusting him. She always trusted him, with her life, her heart and at times her sanity.

They moved apart as the doors to the conference room opened and Elizabeth and Carson came in.

"The _Odyssey_ is landing," the Atlantis leader reported. "Colonel Sheppard and his team are collecting your vests and weapons and Major Lorne is escorting our SG-1 here. I realize this had been a long morning for you all, so I'll try to make this as painless as possible, but I have a feeling our SG-1 will have a number of questions." She paused. "I thought I should warn you, General O'Neill is with SG-1."

"I think we can handle General O'Neill, Dr. Weir," Nick assured her. But he wondered if the General was anything like the President O'Neill he'd known.

Carson gave Danielle a friendly smile. "If you feel at anytime you need to return to the infirmary, lass, you let the Colonel or Dr. Weir or myself know. No exceptions."

"Thank you, Dr. Beckett."

He dug into his pocket and handed over a med-pen. "You left it in the infirmary, this morning."

She blushed taking it. Nick sighed. "Jackson, what am I going to do with you?"

Tucking the pen into the pocket on the sleeve of her shirt, she buttoned it up. "Sorry."

He gently ruffled her hair. "Don't worry about it."

John and his team arrived, putting the vest and weapons on the conference room table that was shaped like a U in three parts. The gear was put where the future SG-1 would be sitting. The future team checked it over, making sure everything was there, before taking their gun belts and holsters and putting them on, strapping the holster to their thighs, they checked the Z-90's before holstering them. All done under John's watchful eye, Ronan's too; they then checked the PZ-90's, seeing neither weapon was been tempered with before leaving them on the table.

Major Lorne arrived with SG-1 and General O'Neill, the General brought the strongest reaction from the future Air Force offices; they came to attention.

Jack arched and eyebrow and looked to John. "Why are they imitating statutes?"

"Jack O'Neill was President of the United States from 2014 to 2022 in their universe," he explained.

"Aha, sweet," Jack exclaimed and then ordered. "At ease, you're going to hurt yourselves."

They relaxed at little, realizing this Jack O'Neill was just like the one they knew. Finally, though the two teams were face to face and it was daunting for them both.

"Why don't we sit down," Elizabeth suggested and they took their seats.

The General sat at the head of the table along with Elizabeth and John. The rest of the Atlantis team sat either side with both SG-1. Major Lorne smothered a smile and left the conference room, which was sealed.

"General O'Neill, SG-1," Elizabeth began, "let me introduce you to our guest's." She said going left to right. "Major Nick Sheppard. Captain Danielle Jackson. Major Matt McKay. Captain Jason Mitchell. And Major Bray Dex."

"Well," Cameron Mitchell stated. "This is…"

"Weird?" Danielle offered and gave him an infectious smile.

"Damn, Jackson, she's definitely your kid," the Colonel exclaimed to his archaeologist, but grinned at the young woman.

Daniel was just as taken back. There was no mistaking who this young woman was, she was beautiful, her eyes and her smile, they were her father's, there was no doubt.

"I'm sure you all have a number of questions," Elizabeth said with an amused smile, which slipped away at the seriousness of her next statement. "However we have some news that has brought an interesting development. Dr. Beckett, perhaps you should start."

"Aye luv," he agreed and gave the General and SG-1 a full report, including with the news that he'd only delivered moments ago.

"Could I have a look at your research, Dr. Beckett?" Samantha Carter asked.

The computer tablet was sitting in front of Danielle, having been left there by Jason.

Nick saw his archaeologist hesitate for a moment, in their own reality there wouldn't be any hesitation. "Go on, Jackson, they're going to find out soon enough."

"Yes sir," she said and swallowed hard before raising her hand a little. The computer tablet lifted off the table and flew across the room and settled in front of Sam.

"Holy Hannah!" the Colonel exclaimed. "You're telekinetic."

John looked stunned at the young woman. "You never told us you could do that."

"You never asked," she retorted shrugging.

Daniel hadn't taken his attention from her; there was something in her blue eyes that until she'd done that, he hadn't been able to figure out. "You're an Ancient."

"I'm Lantean, my father was human and my mother Lantean," she corrected. "My father processed the knowledge of the Ancients in his mind after he descended, even though he couldn't remember it or access it," she said slipping easily into lecture mode. "When I was conceived, he'd been ascended and descended for a second time and that knowledge was passed onto me genetically. I was born their daughter, but also Lantean or an Ancient."

"And you have mental capabilities, such as telekinesis." Sam remarked still stunned.

She nodded. "I have a universe's worth of knowledge that I really shouldn't have, I know things I shouldn't, can do things I shouldn't be able too. And I've paid the price for that knowledge and ability." Danielle said soberly.

"How do handle it?" Daniel asked her.

She shrugged. "It's who I am and as I told Dr. Beckett; what I'm able to do and what you think I can do are two very different things."

"Oh please, your IQ is off the chart," Rodney snorted. "As was you're MRI, it was lit up like someone who was on the verge of ascending."

Nick grabbed Danielle's hand and slammed it down on the table as she started to lift it again; her abilities were always a touchy subject, which was why she hid them. "Dr. McKay, I suggest you zip it now, because you don't want to go head to head with a pissed off Jackson. Not when she can throw you across the room by lifting her hand or merely thinking it."

John grinned as Rodney backed down; he looked smugly at the General. "We're going to keep her, if you don't mind, General."

Jack glared at him. "Are you now?"

Danielle quickly pulled her hand out from under Nick's and put both in her lap, still brisling. Her emotions were raw as it was and she hated them treating her like a new toy.

"Gentlemen, let's get back on track." Elizabeth insisted and nodded to Carson to continue.

"The results of the DNA tests were conclusive," the doctor continued. "And with the personnel files we were able to download from the chips within their dog tags. Major Sheppard is the son of John and Atira Sheppard. Captain Jackson is the daughter of Daniel and Myra Jackson. Major McKay is the son of Samantha and Rodney McKay. Captain Mitchell is the son of Cameron and Carolyn Mitchell and Major Dex is the son of Ronan Dex and Teyla Emmagon." He paused for a moment to let them take the information in. "In light of results of the latest tests – Major Sheppard and his team are unable to return to their own reality and even though they will continue to age slowly. They did genetically lose numerous years when they were thrown back in time and to our reality. Though they don't look physically any different then when they left."

"Which means?" Vala asked a little confused.

"Instead of Major Sheppard being 33, he's now 23."

"And is way too young to be a Major," Jack pointed out.

"Aye General, young Danielle has the same problem, she is no longer 26 going on 27; she is now 17, going on 18. She's not even old enough to join the Air Force at the moment."

"I hated my teenage years the first time round," the young woman in question grumbled, her arms folded against her chest.

"A teenager with four PhD's and two Master's degrees," John added.

"Jailbait with a brain." Cameron smirked, seeing Danielle smile shyly at him, only to be frowned at by Nick and her other teammates.

"Smooth, Mitchell," Daniel commented, brisling at little at the comment and the fact Mitchell was flirting with Danielle. "Real smooth."

Elizabeth cleared her throat. "We're getting off track again."

"Sorry Doctor Weir." Cameron apologized and then to Danielle. "Sorry Captain," his request for forgiveness making her blush and him smiling that sexy smile of his again, which had her teammates frowning again.

"Um, I have a question," Vala spoke up, interrupting. "If I may?"

"Go a head, Miss Mal Doran." Elizabeth insisted.

Vala looked across the room at the team from the future reality. "Are we all alive in the reality you came from?"

There was some hesitation, and then Matt answered. "No, Ma'am, one of you was killed during the finial battle with the Ori. Another ascended several years later after dying from injuries received on a mission."

"Oh," Vala said solemnly.

"So in the reality you came from the Ori were defeated?" Sam clarified.

"Yes Ma'am," Bray answered her. "In a major battle that used all resources and allies, but was successful."

"How?" she asked curiously.

"Sorry, Colonel, but it might be better if we didn't say." Nick intervened. "We don't know how much of what is going to occur here, happens the way we know it."

"So no hints at all?" Jack pushed.

Danielle shifted in her seat. "The events of this timeline are different from our own because of certain major events that occurred in each of your lives. We can tell you about past events occurring from our time that may coincide with past events here, but not future events, because it's possible certain future events may occur in this timeline as well."

Daniel understood what she was saying. "And the major event in my alternate's timeline was his meeting a Lantean woman that he eventually married."

She nodded again. "My mother was among a group of Lantean's that were saved by SG-3. They had a happy marriage, with some bumps along the way."

"His first ascension being one of them." Nick pointed out.

"Their marriage survived his times as an ascended being," she pointed out, adding. "Not to mention my conception was a surprise to both of them. Dad always said it was an event manipulated by the '_Others_'."

"Whoa, wait," Rodney interjected. "You're saying your conception was manipulated by, what Ascended beings?"

"It's possible, Rodney," Daniel declared. "Even here the '_Others_' have manipulated events to suit themselves."

"Sounds like all ascended beings are the same no matter what reality." Nick remarked.

Danielle arched an eyebrow. "My parents are ascended beings, remember."

"Well, that's where we're going into a grey area," Jack said bluntly; bring the reality of the situation to them all. "Because if you're going to remain in this reality, then the one you're from, no longer counts. Sorry kiddo, but your parent is sitting across from you, the rest of your background will be mostly classified, but I'm sure we can work something out."

"That will work for Dr. Jackson, General, but," Carson pointed out, "as I pointed out, Major Sheppard's age is now 23, Major Dex is 24, Major McKay is 22 and Captain Mitchell's is 18/19."

Jack knew he was right, he sighed. "So Sheppard, Dex and McKay can have younger brothers; that can be arranged just as easily. And Mitchell can have a little brother or a son."

"Cool," Cameron exclaimed with a cheeky grin, ignoring the son part for the moment.

"Yes, well I'm glad you approve, Mitchell," the General taunted slightly annoyed. "However your new baby brother or son's rank isn't going to be acceptable, so it's either go back to the Academy and start again, or become a civilian."

"Well, I've got a Medical degree, I suppose I can handle being a civilian doctor on the team," Jason suggested, making the most of it. "If that is acceptable, General?"

"That we can do," Jack agreed and looked to Danielle, "even for you, Dr. Jackson."

"I guess it's a good thing they're staying with us, then," John decided. "Having two Dr. Jackson's at Stargate Command, could get confusing."

"Very," Teal'c agreed bluntly.

Jack chuckled. "Good one, T."

"Great," Danielle said prissily, having had enough of the General, pushing back her chair as she stood. "I'm **so** glad you have our lives all worked out for us, General O'Neill," she retorted and stormed out of the conference room, the doors opening on her metal command.

Daniel pushed back his chair and went after her, frowning at his friend.

Jack sat back in his chair. "She's a Jackson all right."

"Well, I suppose this is a good of time as any for a break," Elizabeth declared.

"Yep," the General agreed. "I need to make an intergalactic phone call, if you don't mind, Dr. Weir?"

"Not at all General," she agreed and stood with him. "This way," she led him out of the room.

Matt lent closer to his CO. "Sir, she's armed," he whispered concerned.

"I know, but I wasn't going to stop her." Nick declared.

"Neither was I," Bray said bluntly. "I'm not that suicidal."

"Me either," Jason agreed. "I dated her, I know better."

"We all do," Nick remarked.

Sam went into conference with Carson and Rodney, leaving the rest of her team and Sheppard's to interact with Nick, Matt, Bray and Jason. Cameron took an eager look at the P-90Z's like a kid in a candy store, as did John, Ronan and Teal'c. Nick was happy to explain the working of the weapon too them, even though he'd rather gone after his archaeologist.

Teyla noticed Vala hadn't joined in. "Is there something wrong, Miss Mal Doran?"

"What," she came out of her daze. "No, I was just thinking," she answered. "And it's Vala."

The Athosian smiled. "It is a little daunting, knowing they are from a future reality."

Vala nodded. "One that I'm dead in."

"How can you be sure you are the one that died?"

"Call it a hunch." Vala declared, and then managed a smile. "I'm glad Daniel found a daughter though, he still misses his wife."

"Then perhaps the ancestors brought them together."

"Maybe," Vala agreed.

0o0o0o0

Daniel caught up with Danielle and let her take the led; she knew the city better then him. He just walked with her. They ended up on a deserted balcony away from the main city complex, standing at the balustrade looking out over the city and ocean. "Atlantis is an amazing city," he declared. "You must have had a wonderful childhood growing up here."

"Not according to General O'Neill, I didn't," she said a little bitter.

Daniel sighed. "Don't take it personally; Jack's just trying to be helpful; putting his foot in it is normal."

She dropped her head and sighed, closing her eyes her hands gripped the balustrade. She ached to throw her arms around him, to have him hold her again. "I look at you and I see my dad, I close my eyes and I hear his voice when you talk," she looked up, opening her eyes they were filled with tears that slid down her cheeks. She thought she'd put this all behind her, but seeing him just brought it all to the surface again. "I was on leave from the Academy when they brought him back through the Stargate, barely alive. I watched the doctors fight to save his life and I watched them fail. He died and ascended as I watched, along with my mother and brother."

"I'm sorry."

Danielle turned, she had the opportunity most didn't get and she was going to take it. She would be a fool not to and Dr. Jackson didn't raise any fool. "I have the chance to be a daughter again, to have a father again and yet the one thing that frightens me. Is that one day I'm going to have to feel that grief again, to lose my father again?"

Daniel gentle wiped her cheek, brushing a tear that slid down it. He would have given anything to have his parents back, so he understood what she was feeling. "I can't promise I'm not going to die, Dani, but I can promise to try and be here for you as much as I can." She went into his willing embrace and he held her, rubbing her back. He could never have his parents back, but he could have Danielle, their granddaughter. No matter how she came to be in his life, she was his daughter. "I guess my college years weren't that boring after all," he tried to joke, realizing that's what people would think. "I got you."

She pulled back, smiling a little. "I guess you did."

He saw an identical smile on her face that was on his. "We'll work it out," he promised. "If the President gives the go ahead, I'll sit down with you all and work out background stories."

"Without Uncle Jack's help?" she pleaded.

Daniel chuckled. "Without Jack's help."

She smiled shyly and nodded. "We might not be able to give you detailed information, but we can pass along some technology and Gate addresses. What you do with the knowledge is up to you."

He drew her back into his arms. "How about we start with going to the mess and you telling me about your mother over coffee?"

"All right," she agreed and then she did something that shocked him. She kissed his cheek, pulling back. "Thanks dad."

"You're welcome," he finally managed to get out.

Smiling she guided him back inside. "We're going to be okay."

"Yeah we are," he agreed.

0o0o0o0

John walked over to where his new brother was leaning against the railing looking over the Gate room. He stood with him. "You're handling this pretty well."

"I can't fall apart in front of them, they're expecting me to be strong," Nick said, his voice was strong, but his grip on the railing had his knuckles turning white.

John saw that, he patted him on the back. "Come on," he urged.

Nick followed him, noticing there wasn't any shadow. "Brooks been given the day off, Colonel?"

"Elizabeth decided you didn't need him any more." John answered. "And we can dispense with the ranks for a while, we're family now, remember."

He nodded. "It's just a little weird, I mean you look and sound like my dad, but your not."

"Yeah, well, weird is normal around here," the Colonel remarked casually. "So, just think of it as a normal day."

Nick chuckled at that. "I can do that."

They walked through the city, coming to John's favorite balcony, standing together, looking over the city and the pier.

Nick turned and lent against the balustrade, shoving his hands in his trouser pockets. "Tori and I were only young when we first came to Atlantis with mom, dad and our older brother, Jaren," he recalled. "It was an adventure, even for Jaren. We wanted to explore, but with having the ATA gene, mom kept us on tight a rein. She was worried we might activate something we shouldn't."

John chuckled over that, he could imagine what it would be like having three youngsters running round the city with the ability to turn on ancient equipment. "Well it would be easily done in this place."

His new brother nodded in agreement. "When the Athosian's arrived it was a little wild at first, but dad and Dr. Weir managed to set down ground rules we all followed." He pulled his hands free and crossed them at his chest in a self-hug admitting. "It feels eerie being on Atlantis and not having Tori here. We have such a close bond that I can almost sense when she's near and visa versa." He shook his head, overwhelm, tears stung at his eyes but he wasn't giving in. Not in front of the Colonel, new brother or not - that was going to take time to accept. "Even that's not even real," his frustration had built to breaking point and he lashed out with words. "It's not fair, I'm just a copy; a copy with all the thought's, feelings and memories of the real Nick Sheppard, who was lucky enough to make it home."

"Finished?" John asked him, ignoring the self-pity from the young man. Nick glared at him and then nodded. "Good. Now get this through that stubborn, thick head of yours. You're, you, Nick Sheppard. Not a copy or anything else, got it?"

Seeing this wasn't up for debate, Nick nodded slowly. "Got it."

"Good, then start and believe it." John ordered.

"Yes, sir," the younger man responded.

"All right, see you do," the Colonel gave one last order and they stood looking out as the city. After a moment, John glanced at his new brother. "Tell me about your dad? What's was it like growing up here with John Sheppard as a father?"

"My dad," the Major smiled, shoving his hands back into his pockets. "Dad and I were always close," he chuckled at a memory. "He taught me to ride a skateboard in the hallways and we use to go surfing off one of the beaches on the mainland."

"Really? Cool." John exclaimed, and then hesitated before he said. "Making the choice to go to Atlantis with a family must have been hard decision for your dad though. Knowing it was possibly a one way trip."

"We were going together, that was the turning decision for dad, being able to take his wife and children with him. As for Tori and I, we were too young to understand," Nick said with a casual shrug and leant against the balustrade. "And as I said it was an adventure for us and Jaren."

"And you survived," John said proudly. "You made Atlantis your home."

"Yeah we did. It was hard sometimes, but we endure," Nick declared. "Contact was eventually reestablished with Earth. The _Daedalus_ arrived, the Wraith was held back. Dad was promoted and we had regular contact. Life was good, even with the threat of the Wraith."

"What about when SG-1 arrived?"

Nick sighed. "I was eight, but I'll never forget the pain and sorrow in their eyes, the grief. They'd lost one of their own. Saved one life and lost one," he paused, the memories were vague, but they were there, especially one he thought he'd never forget. "I remember Uncle Daniel cradling Dani in his arms, it was like he felt if he let her go, she'd disappear and he'd lose her. She was two, so small and just as distressed by it all as they were."

"Wait, distressed?"

The Major rubbed his temples; he hadn't meant to reveal that. "Adria kidnapped Dani, in doing so she forced SG-1 to confront her and in the end it cost Vala Mal Doran her life. She died at her own daughter's hands while Uncle Daniel protected Dani, who was frightened and confused by what was going on."

John put a comforting hand on Nicks' arm. Kidnapping a two year old child and using her to manipulate someone was just plain cowardly. "She was alright though?" He asked and removed his hand, seeing it was making the younger man a little uncomfortable, it was a little too soon.

Nick nodded. "Eventually; she wouldn't go to anyone other her parents or the rest of SG-1 for a long time. Then one morning, they were in the mess having breakfast and she crawled off her father's lap and walked over to where we were sitting. She stumbled and grabbed hold of dad's leg, holding herself up, staring up at him. He merely picked her up and popped her on his lap and continued as if nothing had happened as she snuggled into him. Uncle Daniel and Aunt Myra were stunned, I remember seeing the looks on their faces; I just shrugged and went back to my breakfast." He smiled warmly. "After that, dad and Dani had a bond of sorts, still do. I guess that's why she responds to you so well."

John smiled smugly. "I'm just a charming guy."

Nick just laughed. "You're like every other guy who meets her, you all fall for her blue eyes, her youthful looks and sexy smile."

"Sexy smile?"

Nick groaned, damn he hadn't wanted to let that slip either. "Forget I said that."

"No way," John smirked and then admitted. "Besides she does have a sexy smile," he saw his newly acquired brother roll his eyes, adding playfully. "For jailbait."

The two of them laughed and went back to looking over the city and ocean. Joking and talking like the brother's they were going to portray, finding they had a lot in common and it was more then just both of them liking Danielle Jackson.

0o0o0o0

Cameron Mitchell strolled in the mess hall, seeing Danielle Jackson sitting alone at a far table, a half eaten meal to one side; she had her hands wrapped around a coffee mug, in deep thought. Getting himself something to eat, Cameron went over and sat across from her without an invitation, putting the tray on the table. He could see his friend in her and that made thinking of her as Daniel's daughter very easy, a little too easy, she was also a very attractive young woman. "You know, you and your dad are a lot alike; he stares at his coffee occasionally the same way. It's like it's a decision between drinking it and wanting to make love to it."

Danielle blushed as she looked up. "My dad and I were close… are close, Colonel."

He smiled sympathetically, taking a drink of his coffee before commenting. "Don't sweat it, it can't be easy and how about we try Cam or Cameron, we don't need to bother with the rank."

"Okay," she agreed and ran her finger over the lip of the mug, unconsciously.

"So what had you in such deep thought kiddo?"

She smiled warmly at the affectionate title. "I was just thinking how I went to bed last night twenty-six, nearly twenty-seven and woke up seventeen nearly eighteen."

"Yeah, that must be a bummer." Cameron commented and saw a sparkle in her eyes when she took a sip of coffee, getting the sense they could be good friends. That and she was about to tease him like only a close friend or little sister could. "What?"

She caressed the mug in her hand with her thumb, feeling comfortable being around him, just as she had with her Uncle Cam. "I was just thinking it's a good thing the age difference is only genetic and not physical; I had a hard enough time losing my virginity the first time round looking as young as I did."

Cameron nearly spat out his coffee and then laughed along with her, making those in the mess hall look around, wondering what had them laughing so hard. "God, don't tell your dad that, I don't think he's ready for it quiet yet," the Colonel jeered.

"Our secret," Danielle mused.

"You know, you have a pretty wicked sense of humor."

"I get that from my mom; Dad's sense of humor can be a little on the sarcastic at times."

Cameron had to agree. "Where is Jackson, I thought he'd be here?"  
"He went to talk to General O'Neill."

"So how are you really handling all this?" Cameron asked between bites of his sandwich. "I mean you were a Captain in the Air Force and know you're a civilian with four PhD's."

"I guess being here, helps. This is home," she said with reservations. "I joined the Air Force so I could be on an off world team. I didn't like it, but I did it and I always thought I was a pretty good officer; even if I do argue with Sheppard a lot and be the pain in the ass that I am."

"You know, you can call him, Nick now." Cameron pointed out.

"Yeah I know," she sat back in her chair. "It's not that easy and it's not that we're not close, because we are. I consider the Major - Nick my best friend; we grew up together. We've covered each other's six's long enough that it's become second nature. I stepped in front of a pulse staff to save his life," she shuddered a little. "I'll never forget the look on his face as that staff was impaled though my body, it haunts me as much as it haunts him."

"Holy crap!" Cameron exclaimed. "No wonder you two are close."

She nodded. "He thought I was going to die and for a time, I thought I was too. But I pulled through thanks to Jason, the Tok'ra and Atlantis' doctor's. But it was close; I really thought it was my time."

"It's a good thing it wasn't."

Danielle saw the sincerity in his eyes, as she heard it in his voice. "Yeah," she agreed. She finished her coffee. "What about you, you've suddenly found yourself with either having another little brother or a son."

"I'm doing pretty good," he admitted. "I mean, after all I've seen, all that's happened to me. Having another little brother is tame."

"But a paternity test would say he's your son?" She saw him swallow hard, her words made it hit home, making him admit that it was possible. "Taking that Jason is now 18 nearly 19, and if I remember how old you are, you would have been 17 when he's supposed to have been born."

He swallowed hard again, letting that sink in. "I wasn't exactly an angel when I was 17 and I was no virgin either, so…"

"It could be possible."

"Yeah, even with my up bringing, it could be."

She sat forward and reached across the table to take his hand, their fingers entwined and she gave his hand a gentle squeeze. "You'd make a great dad, Cam, and any child or pre-adult would be proud to have you as a father."

"Even Jason?"

She nodded. "Even Jason."

"Thanks."

"You're welcome," she said with a smile, she gave his hand another squeeze and then released it.

Sergeant Brooks came over to them. "Sir, Ma'am. Dr. Weir would like to see you in the conference room."

"Thank you, Sergeant," Cameron responded, he stood and waited until Danielle had come round the table to stand come round the table to stand next to him to do something that surprised her. He kissed her cheek. "Thanks," he whispered.

She blushed. "You're welcome."

He smiled and they left the mess hall together.

The rest of his team and hers were there, along with Sheppard's, the only ones missing were Dr. Weir and General O'Neill. The vests and P-90Z's were gone, having been taken back to the armory.

Cameron went over to his archaeologist. "Jackson."

"Colonel," Daniel acknowledged.

"Look, I was talking with your daughter and I've come to a decision," Cameron said seriously. "I don't want another little brother." He held up a hand to stop his friend from interrupting. "If he'll agree to it, I wouldn't mind being a father to Jason."

Daniel couldn't deny he was surprised. "You're going to take some flak for it?"

"I know," the Colonel looked over to the young man who was going to become his son. "But he looks like he could use a father about now."

Seeing he was right, Daniel nodded. "Then you'd better go talk to your son, Colonel."

"Yeah," Cameron agreed and got an encouraging smile from his friend. He went over to Jason, who was talking to Teyla and Ronan. "Dr. Mitchell, can I have a word?"  
Jason nodded curiously. "Yes sir."

"Excuse us," Cameron said to the members of Sheppard's team and ushered the young man to secluded part of the conference room. Wondering how he was going to approach this. "Look, kid, you can drop the sir business," he insisted. "If you like and if you agreed. We could. Well we could try dad."

Jason was stunned and then relieved all at once. "Dad?"

"Yeah, I'm old enough to have a son you're age," Cameron revealed a little embarrassed. "Even with my up bringing, I was no angel. So…"

"So it would be possible?"

"Yeah it would be," he agreed.

Jason knew this was hard on the Colonel, just as it was hard on him. He had to start a new life and the Colonel was willing to share his with him. At least it was going to make staying there a little easier. "Permission to hug my dad, Sir."

Cameron grinned, relieved. "Permission granted. Come here, kid."

Jason stepped forward and hugged his new father, the emptiness and the pain of knowing they were never going home lifted a little.

"You do realize, I have to tell my parents about you," Cameron said daunted. "That's not going to be easy."

"We'll do it together, dad." Jason promised him.

And Cameron believed him, he had a feeling his mom and dad were going to love their grandson.

Nick saw Danielle smile, as he stood with her. He nudged her shoulder gentle, gesturing to the two Mitchell's with a motion of his head. "You have anything to do with that?"

"Yes sir."

He slipped his arm around her. "You can dispense with the sir, business, Dani, you're not Air Force. You don't have to keep the formalities up anymore."

She slipped her arm around his waist and rested her head against his shoulder. "I know but, it'll take time."

"Yeah it will," he said softly and nuzzled the top of her head. "We'll do it together."

Daniel glanced over and saw the two of them together. So did John, the Colonel wasn't worried about it though. "He loves her," he told the archaeologist quietly. "She loves him too. She just hasn't told him and he hasn't told her."

"Well they don't have regulations standing in their way any more," Daniel pointed out.

"Nope, just their own insecurities," John remarked.

The archaeologist sighed. "I know the feeling."

"Yeah," the Colonel agreed. He didn't want to comment on it, not after what he and Nick had talked about.

"I should go and inform Jack of the new situation between Mitchell and Jason," he saw the Colonel questioning look. "Mitchell decided he's going to be Jason's father and from the look of it, Jason's agreed to be his son."

"Looks like it."

The archaeologist smiled at that, seeing the Colonel's gaze return to Nick and Danielle. "Take it easy on my daughter and your little brother," he advised.

John grinned. "Sure, Doc."

Daniel shook his head, wandering out; muttering about Colonel's and General's being too much a like.

John just chuckled softly and went and sat next to Rodney. "Hey, how's the little brother?"

"A lot smarter then me," he declared, a little prissy. "How's yours?"

He shrugged casually. "The same."

"They're all too smart." Rodney grumbled. "And little miss Lantean there… God knows what she's going to be capable of around here. Atlantis loves her as much as she loves you."

"Why thank you, Rodney."

"Yes, yes, well it's true," the scientist declared. "The city loves you and it loves her, that's been obvious over the last couple of days," he remarked, adding. "Think about it, when we first arrived back. You said the hum that you always feel at the back of your mind was stronger then before."

John nodded. "It was like being given a jolt."

"Well it's her," Rodney told him. "I want to get her in the chair and see what happens."

"Take it easy Rodney; she's not a lab experiment."

"I know that, I just want to see what she can do."

Rolling his eyes, John let it slid for the moment. "Just remember, her team is very protective of her and for good reasons."

"Yes, yes, I won't damage her," Rodney said dismissing it.

Matt went over to Nick and Danielle, not taking any notice of the way they were standing; he was use to it. "Major, we need to talk."

"What's up, McKay?"

"They don't know about the ZPM regenerator," he informed. "And they could use some more ZPM's."

"True, but we don't know if they were going to find it now or later." Nick commented.

"Or if they ever find it all." Danielle pointed out.

"True," he agreed and then looked to his 2IC. "You're the expert here, you tell me."

Matt chewed on his bottom lip. "I'd say we risk it and tell them."

"All right, it's you're baby, you break the news to them." Nick ordered him. "Just take it easy on big brother over there; he's never had anyone around more of a genius then he is."

Matt laughed. "I won't hurt him, I promise," he smirked, then grinned wickedly, that was so like his mother. "Much anyway."

Standing away from them, Sam watched with Vala.

"He's like you, you know, more then McKay." Vala remarked.

"I know."

"It sucks you know, he should be your little brother, not his."

Sam was surprised at that. "Why?"

"Because he's more like you and not as annoying as McKay."

Laughing, Sam took it as a compliment. "Thanks Vala."

"Well it's true."

Daniel came back into the room along with Jack and Elizabeth; they all took a seat around the broken U shaped conference table.

"Well, thanks to a rather interesting intergalactic phone call," Jack began. "President Hayes has agreed to our guests staying at Atlantis, though he did suggest a trip to Earth to finalize background stories, ID's, money matters, that sort of thing. And a meet and greet, he's interested in talking to you all."

"The President also made a suggestion," Elizabeth added, pleased with it herself. "Since Major Sheppard's team is SG-1, the President thought they'd like to remain SG-1, so he suggested they be known as Atlantis SG-1."

"I've got Walter working on patches," Jack declared calmly. "The President also agreed to Major's Sheppard, McKay and Dex keeping their ranks." He revealed, seeing they were happy with that before adding. "And Landry also said to remind our SG-1 that this isn't a holiday, you all have work to do back on Earth." He paused as his SG-1 chuckled along with everyone else. "So kids, we'll be heading back on the _Odyssey_ as soon as Colonel Davidson is ready."

"Actually, Sir," Matt spoke up. "I think I can get you back to Earth faster."

"Oh and how do you plan to do that, Major?" He inquired.

"Well, there are depleted ZPM's here that can be regenerated, so we can use the Stargate."

Rodney glared at him. "What? How?" he demanded.

"Atlantis has a ZPM regenerator." Matt said wincing a little.

"A what? Where? Why didn't you tell us this before?" Rodney snarled at him.

"Damn it, McKay, why don't you just jump down the kid's throat?" John snapped. "He's trying to tell you."

"I can show you the regenerator and set the regeneration sequence. It'll take about twenty-four hours; we can regenerate one ZPM quickly. Any others can be done at a much slower pace." Matt revealed and then added before his new brother could jump in again. "However I can't initialize it or set the activation sequence."

"So who can?" Rodney asked sarcastically, then stated. "Let me guess, you need someone who has the ATA gene."

John knew who they needed; he knew by the way the young Major had hesitated. "You need Dani to do it right?"

"Yes sir, this needs to be done from the control chair."

Daniel saw his daughter shift nervously in her chair, surprised at how quickly he considered her his daughter, and for picking up her discomfort. "Why can't Colonel Sheppard do it?"

"He probably could, Dr. Jackson," Matt informed and then looked to the Atlantis leader. "I take it Colonel Sheppard has used the control chair a number of times?"

Elizabeth nodded, a little confused. "He has," she answered. "But you said probably?"

"Being able to use the control chair to make a link with Atlantis, is very different then just sitting in it and firing drones," Danielle said straightforward and looked to John. "Colonel, can you navigate the city by letting it direct you?"

Now it was his turn to shift uncomfortably in his seat. "Yes," he saw his friends stare at him in surprise. "I don't do it too often, it's disorientating and gives me a headache."

"That's because you haven't formed a proper link with the city," she explained. "I was like that at first, but after I formed a strong link with the city, it became second nature. I can teach you how to do it, but it could take days, if not weeks."

"And we don't have days or weeks," he said dryly.

"No, we don't," she agreed. "I know Matt doesn't want to step on any ones toes, but if you want the ZPM's regenerated, then I'm going to have to sit in the chair, make a connection with the city and initialize and set the activation sequence."

"You're not stepping on my toes," John assured her, seeing Rodney was going to comment, not letting him.  
"You can do it and then after you return from Earth, you can show me how to make the link."

She lent back again, in her chair, a soft, casual smile formed her lips. A smile she usually reserved for Nick, but since their arrival, she'd used it on Cameron Mitchell and now him. "I look forward to it, Colonel."

Elizabeth cleared her throat, both Nick and Daniel were frowning at their flirting, Cameron was smirking, as was mostly everyone else. "The _Odyssey_ isn't leaving for another twenty-four hours, so that'll work out fine," she revealed. "Dr. McKay, you, Colonel Carter, Major McKay head to the ZPM regenerator and check it out. Dr. Jackson," she paused, clarifying. "Our Dr. Jackson; you and Colonel Sheppard can go to the Chair room and be ready to co-ordinate with them."

As they nodded, Rodney jumped to his feet. "Well, come on, let's get going." But before he could take more, then two steps the lights suddenly went out and the room was eloped in complete darkness. "Now what?" he groaned.

They came back on and Matt and Danielle were standing right beside him, both of them smirking. "You really need to relax, McKay," she mused and walked out of the room with the Major.

"Oh very funny," Rodney grumbled and he and Sam followed, the Colonel holding back from laughing.

John lent closer to Nick. "She did that right? Just to get him all riled up?"

Nick nodded. "Dani has a unique connection with Atlantis, even this one."

"Great, do you think she'll tell me how she did that?" he asked hopefully.

"I think so."

"Cool," he said, then got up and rushed after them.

Bray looked over to his CO and chuckled. "Dani Disneyland, Sheppard. Dani Disneyland."

Nick groaned and settled back in his chair. "I know, I know."

0o0o0o0

The ZPM regenerator was where Matt knew it would be. The huge piece of equipment sat in the center of the lab, six ZPM's in the regeneration nodes.

Going over to the console Matt activated it and began the initial sequence while explaining what he was going for Colonel Carter's and his new brother's benefit.

In the chair room, John Sheppard patted the control chair. "She's all yours, Doc. No quick spins round the system though."

Danielle couldn't' help but giggle. "You make Atlantis sound like your personnel hotrod, Colonel," she jeered as she sat in the chair.

"She is," he mused, "But don't tell anyone."

"My lips are sealed," she said with a smile. The chair had activated as soon as picked up Danielle's ATA gene. The room's lights dimmed and she and John were bathed in a soft white light. Danielle put her hands on the gel pad controls, moving only her fingers to access the communications system. McKay, this is Jackson, status?"

Matt McKay's voice came over the communications system. "_Stand by, Doc_."

"Standing by," she started the pre-initiation sequence, and then settled back closing her eyes.

John frowned a little concerned, feeling the hum at the back of his mind become stronger. "When do you make this link?"

"I already have," she reported. "You feel it don't you? The hum you feel at the back of your mind, it's become stronger, hasn't it?"

"Yeah."

"That's the link."

"_Doc, we're all set_," Matt reported over the comm. system. "_Begin initialization_."

A holographic display was projected above the control chair, showing the initialization of the regeneration system. "Beginning activation sequence," Danielle announced.

John saw Danielle's fingers moving on the gel control pads, which altered part of the system, being the initialization.

"_Take it easy Dani, these systems haven't been used in quiet awhile_," Matt warned.

"I am," she assured concentration evident on her face.

"_Dani, you're going too fast slow down a little_," the young Major ordered. "_This isn't what you're use to, give the equipment time to adjust._"

The holographic display slowed. "I've got it, Major," she reported. Above her, the sequences fell into place at the pace they should.

"_That's it, Dani_,"

She relaxed a little more, becoming use to this chair. "Colonel."

John took his eyes off the display and back onto her. "Yeah, what do you need?"

She smiled at that. "Put your hand on my shoulder so you can feel the link with me."

He hesitated for a quick moment and then stepped onto dais to the chair; standing next to her, he put his hand on her shoulder and closed his eyes. Drawn in he felt slight panic and then relaxed when he felt her presence anchoring him in a well of calmness.

Danielle felt John's hesitation and slight panic, calming him before she drew him further in, easing his uncertainty by showing him one perception of their joint link:

_"Where are we?" he asked her a little taken back by it all._

_"The link, a mental combination of our two consciousnesses," she informed, she stood in his arms, their bodies pressed against once one another, wrapped in his consciousness as she was wrapped in his arms._

_It felt amazing and it was then he realized he was as naked as she was. "Umm, Dani?"_

_She was at ease with it. "Calm down John, this isn't real, it's a combined consciousness remember."_

_"But we're naked," he ran his fingers along her spine. "And you feel real."_

_"And you feel real," she said shivering at his contact. "It's the link, I have a bond with the alternate you, and the link knows that, it also knows I have a bond with Nick. It perceives the two of you as the same person."_

_"You've done this with Nick?"_

_"Yes," she rested her head against his chest, caressing his lower back with her fingers. "The more you relax, the easier it is. The link represents light and purity. "_

_He nuzzled the top of her head and sighed, her touch felt amazing, soft and calming. It was intoxicating, like a natural high of intimacy. "I could get arrested for being in this position."_

_"I wouldn't tell if you don't."_

_"It's a deal," he managed to gasp, the feelings of intimacy suddenly becoming more then just soft and calming._

_"John," she looked up and cupped his face in her hands, drawing it down. "Let go, let it happen." She ran her fingers though his hair, its softness and texture enthralling. "You have to let go, let me show you what the link can offer you." She rose up on her toes a little, her body rubbing against him, which brought forth a groan. She smiled and brushed her lips against his, getting a stunned response. She'd encountered the same with Nick the first time they'd experienced this together. She did it again. This time he responded whole heartedly, kissing her back, letting go and experiencing all that the link could give him as she guided him. _

_The experience was beyond sexual, it was beyond bliss, and there were no words to describe what he was feeling at that point. He was everywhere within Atlantis, saw everything, heard everything, and Atlantis and Danielle were there with him, guiding him. It was amazing; right up until a flash of bright white light ended it all._

0o0o0o0

Dr. Carson Beckett heard the groan and hurried over to his patient. "Well Colonel, it's about time you woke up."

John forced his eyes open and groaned again, as the bright light assaulted his sensors; he quickly shut them. His stomach did flip flops and for a moment, he thought he was going to lose everything in it.

"Take it easy, Colonel. Dr. Mitchell said ya optical nerves would be a little receptive to light for a short while." Carson said calmly.

"English, doc," he moaned, his head felt like it was going to split open or explode.

"Everything is going to very bright, lad."

"Great," he groaned.

Jason Mitchell came over to them carrying a med-pen, he put it to the Colonel's neck and it hissed as the injection was administered. "Give it a minute, Colonel it'll ease the headache you're experiencing."

Putting a hand over his eyes, even though he kept them closed, John managed a slow and short nod. His concern wasn't for himself though. "What happened? Is Dani all right?"

Carson chuckled, seeing Jason smile. "The lass is fine, Colonel, you were the only one effected. You shouldn't have joined the link fully ya daft bugger."

"You're sensors became overloaded, Colonel when you let go," Jason informed. "Dani pulled you out before any damage was done, but you went to fast too soon."

The pounding jackhammers in his head were easing off. To fast too soon, that was him, but damn it had felt good. Better then it should have. "How long have I been out of it?"

"Twelve hours."

Lifting his hand away, John opened his eyes and glared at them, regretting it imminently. He squeezed his eyes shut as his stomach rebelled again. "What about the regeneration?"

"It's going well, two ZPM's have been fully regenerated and four more are half way through." Jason informed. "We'll be taking one back to Earth with us, so we can come back again through the Stargate."

John rubbed his temples while keeping his eyes closed. "So how long am I going to be in here?"

"Until you can sit up without throwing up," the young doctor said with slight amusement in his voice. "Not that I didn't appreciate you throwing up on me. I'd just rather you didn't do it again."

The Colonel winced. "I don't remember that."

"That is a good thing, Colonel," Carson assured him gently. He patted his leg. "We'll leave ya to get some rest."

"Dani is coming to see you before we leave," Jason told him and then said something in Lantean that dimmed the lights overhead. "Take it easy, Colonel."

"Planning on it," John muttered without opening his eyes, he heard a curtain ruffled as it was open.

"So is his head going to explode?" Rodney was heard asking the two doctors.

"Funny McKay," he grumbled.

"Well, I wasn't the one trying to melt my brain with Miss Lantean," the scientist drawled.

A more claming presence came closer. "Jealous, McKay?" Danielle inquired.

"Not in the least."

John chuckled and then regretted it imminently. "You've know idea what you missed out on, Rodney," he smirked, keeping his eyes firmly shut. "Right Dani?"

She smiled. "Very true, it was…. Sensual."

"Right," Rodney said drawled again. "Next you'll be telling us it was like great sex." He saw Danielle smile and blush at the same time. "Oh come on, you're saying you had mental sex while apart of this link?"

She chewed on the inside of her cheek, seeing John squirm a little. "No, Rodney, we didn't have mental sex. The link however is very sensual; it's about light and purity, not sexuality, which is why it feels very intimate."

"Right."

John forced his eyes open and glared at his friend. "I didn't have mental sexy with Dani, Rodney. And you are jealous." He closed his eyes again.

Carson cleared his throat. "I think we'll leave Colonel Sheppard to rest," he ordered and ushered all but Danielle out.

The young woman went closer to the Colonel's bedside, taking his hand. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" he asked her, opening his eyes he winced. "It wasn't you're fault, it was mine."

"I shouldn't have told you to let go…"

"Dani," he interrupted, squeezing her hand. "It wasn't you're fault. Okay."

She nodded, hiding her guilt from him. "Rest well, Colonel Sheppard," she whispered.

"Stay?" he asked her and closed his eyes, "Just for a while."

She perched on the bed, keeping his hand in hers. "Sleep Colonel," she whispered and brushed his fringe back from his forehead as he drifted off.

Jason slipped back into the curtained off area, going over to his friend. He slipped his arm around her shoulders. "We have to go, Dani," he said softly.

"I know," she released John's hand and carefully got off the bed. "I went too far, Jace, I know I did."

"The Colonel is fine; you know that, you protected him, just as you would have his alternate or the Major." Jason insisted.

She nodded slowly. "That's what worries me. I can already feel a bond between us; he's become an anchor, just as his alternate was. Just as Nick is."

"Then you'll know he'll be fine," he rubbed her shoulder. "Come on, Dani."

Danielle sighed and nodded. Getting up she instinctively lent over and kissed John Sheppard's forehead before following Jason out of the infirmary.

To be continued….


	3. Coming apart, coming together

**Title:** _**Unending**_

**Author:** Anaika Skywalker

**Rating:** M

**Disclaimer:** Don't own it, wish I did, I just like to play in their universe once and a while. I'll put them back when I'm finished. I promise.

**Author's Note: **Sorry this one took so long, my modem packed it in and I had to wait for another to be sent to me. But I'm back on line and this chapter is here. Its unbeta read; the computer did its best and so did I.

_**Winjan:**_ I loved the idea of a regenerator too, so I had to use it. As for the position Dani and John ended up in, it is explained in this chapter. _**WingedIsis16:**_ Thank, I think it's cool too. Umm, ZPM as rechargeable batteries. Good idea. _**Reddragoncrp: **_Thank you so much, I'm glad you're enjoying it. _**Scottiedog: **_Sorry, I gave you a headache, no techno babble in this one. So no headache, I promise.

_**Unending**_

Chapter Three: _**Coming apart, coming together**_.

As soon as they walked out of the infirmary, Jason knew something was wrong; it wasn't like Danielle to be so quiet. "It wasn't your fault, Dani."

She sighed. "I asked him to join the link, I drew him in and asked him to let go."

He stopped her as the corridor became deserted. "But he went willingly. You didn't force the Colonel to do anything he didn't want to." He saw her chew on her bottom lip and knew instantly there was more to it. "What, Dani?"

Danielle hesitated, then took a breath, revealing. "When I was liked with Atlantis, the city accepted me, welcomed me even. When the Colonel joined the link, it drew him in like it does when Nick and I join in the link." She paused. "Colonel Sheppard felt the full force of the purity and light sensation and it was so strong, that I couldn't stop it."

"Whoa, wait, you were naked in the link with Colonel Sheppard?" he asked, keeping his voice down. "Just like you've been with the Major?" He saw her nod. "And?" he knew she was holding back, her eyes betrayed her, they always did.

"And I kissed him," she said softly, blushing. "I surrendered to the sensations of the link and I kissed him and he kissed me back." She wrapped her arms around herself in a protective hug. "I've only ever felt that way with Nick and it was like the city perceived them as the same person."

Jason drew her into his arms and held her close. "You and the Major as so close and Major's so much like his dad, which means he's now a lot like his 'brother'. And I guess it's possible the city saw the Colonel and him as the same person." He tilted her head up with a finger under her chin. "I know you love Nick, and I damn well know the stubborn ass loves you." Her blush deepened and he smiled. "Tell him, Dani, tell him you love him and you'll find the next time you link with the Colonel it'll be different."

"And if I can't?"

"Then you'd better warn the Colonel he's going to have some more naked sessions in the link, not to mention he'll be needing several cold showers," Jason teased.

Danielle pulled back and playfully smacked his arm, chuckling. "I've never had sex with anyone in the link, not even you smart ass."

"I know, but there's always a first time," he mussed and laughed with her. "Come on, we'd better get to the Gate room."

She nodded and they started walking again. "Thanks Jace."

"You're welcome," he nudged her shoulder gentle. "Besides, we've got to stick together, we're family."

"Yeah we are," she agreed wholeheartedly.

After stopping off to grab packs, they headed to the Gate room where the rest of their team, General O'Neill and SG-1 was waiting with Dr. Weir and Rodney McKay. Sam carried the case with the recharged ZPM that would be used on Earth; the Odyssey had already left on its return trip, this time not using the ZPM to speed up the trip.

"Are we ready to go kids?" Jack asked them with a touch of sarcasm. "Packed your Pj's and tooth brushes?"

The newly christened Atlantis SG-1 glanced at each other quickly and responded together with youthful innocents. "Yes Uncle Jack."

SG-1, Elizabeth and Rodney, tried unsuccessfully from smirking, finding it amusing as the General frowned.

"Oh very funny," he grumbled.

"You walked into that one yourself, Jack," Daniel stated casually. "That and for them, you are Uncle Jack."

"Thank you so much, Daniel."

Jason saw the man who in his universe had been an uncle to him and in away still was, smile amused, adding quickly to the General. "Don't worry sir; we're in therapy for it."

Jack shook his head and threw his hands up in frustration. "I'm surrounded by comedians," he groaned and then ordered SG-1's team leader. "Mitchell, keep a leash on your son."

Cameron chuckled softly. "Yes, sir, I'll do that sir."

"Of course you will," Jack griped. "Dr. Weir, if you will," he gestured to the Stargate.

Elizabeth smiled and tapped her earpiece. "Dial it up, Sergeant," she ordered.

The Stargate started dialing, Earth's address locking in, and all eight symbols. It opened with the usual spectacular kawoosh, settling into the watery puddle; the Sergeant in operations contacting the SGC to get the all clear for them to go through the Stargate.

Elizabeth heard it over her earpiece. "You're clear to go, General."

"Thank you, Doctor."

She then addressed her new team. "We'll take care of Colonel Sheppard while you're on Earth."

"I've left my notes with Dr. Beckett, Ma'am," Jason informed. "The Colonel will be fine in a few days."

"Thank you, Jason," she said with a smile. "Now have fun on Earth, that's an order."

"Yes Ma'am," all five chorused; an automatic response.

Jack looked to Daniel. "I never get that sort of respect from you lot."

"They've been brainwashed, Jack, we're planning on breaking them of it," he quipped smiling smugly.

The General just groaned. "Let's go home," he told them and then to Elizabeth. "Dr. Weir, it's been fun."

"Any time General."

"Come along, kids," he ordered.

They said goodbye to Elizabeth and Rodney and followed the General, on reaching the Stargate, the two teams innocently teased. "Are we there yet!"

Jack groaned and hearing their laughter, stepped through the event horizon.

SG-1 and Atlantis SG-1 followed, chuckling. Stepping through the Stargate, they stepped out within the SGC onto the ramp, the Stargate closed down behind them.

Standing on the top of the ramp, Atlantis' new team looked around them as SG-1 and the General walked down. There were noticeable difference, some very noticeable, some not. Slowly they walked down the ramp, as General Landry walked into the Gate room.

"Is everything all right?" Daniel asked them as they stepped off.

"Yes, sir," Nick answered, feeling slightly awkward, as did the rest of his team. "It just looks a little different from what we're use to."

"You'll be fine, and its Daniel, Major, remember."

Nick managed a sheepish smile. "Sorry, Daniel."

Landry greeted them. "Welcome home, SG-1, Jack. And welcome to Earth, Atlantis SG-1."

"Thank you, Sir," Nick responded.

Daniel did the introductions. "General, Major Nick Sheppard. Dr. Danielle Jackson. Major Matt McKay. Dr. Jason Mitchell and Major Bray Dex."

"Dr. Lam is waiting for you in the infirmary; she wants to make sure your inoculated so you don't pick anything up while on Earth." Landry told them.

Danielle arched an eyebrow, glancing at Jason, who was just as amused; she made the comment though, stating what her friend was thinking. "That would be unlikely."

General Landry turned to her, slight miffed and amused at her assumption. "And why is that, Dr. Jackson?"

"Dani," Nick frowned at his archaeologist and chastised her in Lantean.

"Fine," she grumbled and said to Landry. "I apologize, General," she said and then strolled out of the Gate room, muttering to herself in Lantean.

The rest of her team followed her, quietly amused, but comfortable in their surroundings.

Landry chuckled himself. "Colonel Carter, take care of the ZPM and then join the rest of your team in the infirmary, I'd like you to keep an eye on our guests. When Dr. Lam is finished with them, bring them to the briefing room."

"Yes sir." Sam acknowledged and she and the rest of her team left.

Hank Landry sighed and looked to Jack. "They're not what I expected."

Jack had to agree. "No, they're not. We need to talk," he declared.

Landry nodded and the two men left the Gate room, going to his office. "What am I not going to like, Jack?"

Sighing, Jack sat down and waited until the SGC Commander had taken his seat. "Danielle Jackson is more Lantean then human, so far she's displayed telekinetic abilities, as well as being able to light up Atlantis like a Christmas tree."

Hank Landry frowned. "The Ancients sneaked one of their own across the boarder," he said dryly, ignoring the face Jack even knew what telekinetic meant, let alone what it was. The man had a reputation.

"In their universe they did," Jack commented. "We could use her here."

"But we wouldn't be able to control her," the SGC commander surmised and saw Jack nod. "Damn we could have used her against Adria."

"She wouldn't have done it, General," a voice informed.

Landry looked, seeing Daniel Jackson standing in the door way of the hallway entrance. The man was exceptional at sneaking around thanks to Jack and he'd obviously guessed what the conversation would end up being about. "Why is that Dr. Jackson?"

"Because Dani won't change the timeline and her taking on Adria would course consequences to our timeline," Daniel answered coming into the office.

"What kind of consequences?"

"Ripping a hole in the fabric of time, folding time in on itself or completely destroying our universe," Daniel informed bluntly having already had the conversation with his daughter after the incident with Colonel Sheppard.

"That could be bad," Jack agreed.

"Very."

Landry sat back in his chair; he knew there was more to this, putting his theory to the test. "She's faced Adria in her own universe?"

Daniel nodded and sat next to Jack. "Adria kidnapped Dani when she was two and held her, used her to get SG-1 to come to her. She knew what Dani was capable of, the result was a traumatized two year old and SG-1, as well as a dead team member."

"And Danielle is stronger now then she was at two," the General guessed, stating the obvious.

Nodding again, Daniel agreed. "What I felt when she was in the Ancient chair…."

"Whoa, wait a minute," Jack interrupted, glaring at his friend. "What you felt?" he saw Daniel wince and put the pieces together, he knew what he'd felt, but that was because he had…. "You've acquired the ATA gene."

"You don't acquire the ATA gene, Jack and no I didn't have the gene therapy. The gene is either active or dormant. Mine was dormant until…."

"You descended the second time."

"No, it was dormant until Merlin downloaded his consciousness and knowledge into my brain." Daniel admitted. "He also activated my dormant ATA gene."

"Damn it, Daniel!" Jack exclaimed. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"Why didn't Carolyn?" Landry asked right after him.

"Because I asked her not too," the archeologist said calmly. "I don't want it known I have the gene, Jack. No one else knows, not even the rest of SG-1."

"Why?" He asked, not getting it.

"Adria," Landry guessed and saw his archaeologist give a slow nod. "All right, it doesn't leave this room. Does your daughter know?"

"Yes. So does Major Sheppard and Colonel Sheppard, but neither will say anything."

"Is there anything else I should know, gentleman?" the SGC commander asked.

"Oh I'm sure there is, Hank, but you've got to leave some surprises for the kids to tell." Jack retorted sarcastically.

Daniel had the feeling it was time to leave. "Excuse me, General."

"Of course, doctor."

Getting up, he left the office, making a hasty retreat. Taking the elevator to level 21 where Mitchell was waiting for Atlantis SG-1, their packs were near the door.

Cameron acknowledged him. "Hey, Jackson, where did you disappear off too?"

"I needed a quick word with the General," he informed. "How's everything here?"

The Colonel chuckled lightly. "Oh Sheppard is being charming to the nurses, as is McKay and Dex and my son and your daughter have tried to escape twice so far."

"So nothing unusual?" Daniel asked flippantly.

"Just another day at the office," Cameron agreed and then noted just as calmly. "You know, your daughter, dated my son."

"So she told me."

"She has taste."

Daniel rolled his eyes. "Just remember, Colonel, you still have to tell your parents about your son."

Cameron surprised him by shrugging. "They'll love him, just like they love their other grandchildren."

"You have a nephew, right?"

"And a niece."

"But neither of them is in their late teens." Daniel noted matter of fact.

"No, they're not. But that won't bother my mom, she's going love Jason," Cameron declared confidently. "Once she and dad see him, that'll be it."

"You're pretty confident."

The Colonel shrugged again. "Mom and dad saw me through my rebellious phase, there had to be consequences of it. Not that Jason is a consequence, but it will fit the cover story."

Daniel had to agree with him. "We're going to have to sort out those cover stories before they leave here."

"That should make an interesting nights activity." Cameron remarked.

"Oh yeah,"

Sam arrived with Teal'c and Vala a few minutes later, finding the Colonel and the archaeologist playing cards on one of the empty beds. "Hey guys."

"Hey Sam," Cameron greeted and picked up a card.

"What are you playing?" Vala asked practically bouncing over to them.

Daniel laid his cards down. "Gin."

Cameron threw his cards into the center. "Again," he grumbled and saw his friend smile smugly.

Sam was going to comment when they head voices and Atlantis SG-1 came out putting their jackets back on along with Dr. Lam.

Daniel quickly packed the cards up and handed them back to Cameron who put them back in his pocket, the two stood.

Carolyn Lam walked around the team. "If you have any reactions to any of the inoculations, I'd like you to return to the infirmary straight way."

"Yes Ma'am," Nick acknowledged her for himself and the rest of his team.

"Then you're cleared to go," she informed.

"Thank you, Ma'am."

She smiled and then glared at SG-1. "Take notes, SG-1," she remarked and then walked back to her office.

Vala looked confused. "What did she mean by that?"

Daniel cleared his throat, trying to look too put out. "I'll explain it to you later."

"We have a briefing to attend." Cameron told them interrupting.

Atlantis SG-1 grabbed their packs and followed SG-1 out of the infirmary.

Nick walked with his archaeologist. "Everything all right, I saw you talking to Dr. Lam?"

"Everything is fine, Major," she assured.

He sighed. "Nick, Dani, it's not that hard to remember, you do it all the time when we're alone."

"We're not alone now," she said softly. "And it's not that easy to break something that was drummed into you."

"I know," he stopped her and waited until the others were out of earshot. "But you're not Air Force now and if it hadn't been for that stupid law that was past, you wouldn't have had to join up at all."

"And I could have just stayed at Atlantis in my safe little office, but I didn't, I made the choice to join up and be a part of it all," she threw back at him.

The rest of their team and SG-1 realized they weren't with them and stopped, waiting.

Nick didn't care. "And you put your life on the line more times then you should have," he snapped back frustrated, wondering when he'd lost control of the situation. "You just don't seem to see the danger you put yourself into."

"I'm not a child, Nick, I did my time at the Academy, I can handle myself just as well as Matt, Jason and  
Bray," she retorted angrily, throwing her pack down she jabbed a finger into his chest. "I do what I've been trained to do, I've never asked to be treated different and you've never done that. We're a team and that means taking a bullet for another team member or a damn pulse staff!"

Nick chucked his pack to the floor at his feet. "I didn't ask you to step in front of that damn pulse staff. I was trying to protect you!"

"I don't need you to protect me. I'm quiet capable of doing that myself!" She declared, her heart pounded, and she could feel her pulse racing. This wasn't the time or the place, but it was now or never. "What I need you to do is to love me."

He stood stunned, his heart thumping against his chest. "Say that again?"

She stepped closer. "I need you to love me," she repeated.

Nick drew her into his arms. "God, Dani, I do," he whispered and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. "I love you so much."

Tears stung at her eyes. "I love you to, you idiot."

He chuckled. "We've both been idiots, Dani and when we get a moment to ourselves. We're going to have a long talk."

She nodded. "I think we're over due, don't you?"

"A lot," he released her and picked up both their packs, giving hers to her. "Come on."

Danielle took her pack and walked with him.

"Everything all right?" Cameron inquired.

"Everything is fine," Nick assured him. "We just need to get a few things clear."

"Okay, let's get going then."

Agreeing, they all headed for the elevator, managing to squeeze everyone, arriving quickly at level 27. Heading for the briefing room, they wandered in the Atlantis team left their packs by the star map and took their seats, all except Jason; he went over and looked out the window at the Gate room below.

Cameron didn't either, he joined his new son. "Is it much different then you remember?"

"A little," the younger Mitchell noted. "The SGC I remember, well," he shrugged. "There have been a few changers over the years."

"Such as?"

Jason hesitated. "Well, the iris is gone. They have a shield like Atlantis."

"Cool."

The young doctor chuckled. "Yeah," he turned and lent against the cold cement and glass. "It's a little weird being here, you know. Everything looks similar and yet it's different."

"You'll get use to it." Cameron assured him. He spotted the General heading out. "Come on."

They took their seats, as did Landry; still in the office, they could see Jack on the phone.

"General O'Neill is on the phone to the President making arrangements for your visit," the General explained. "He agrees with me the cover stories need to be in place before Atlantis SG-1 leaves the base."

"We'll get started on them as soon as we're done here, Sir." Daniel announced.

"Good. Quarters have been issued on 25 for your team, Major." Landry told Nick. "Even though one member of your team is legally too young to go through the Stargate, the President has given an exemption. So Dr. Jackson," he looked to Danielle. "You're cleared to continue traveling through the Stargate once you return to Atlantis."

Danielle felt Nick grab her hand under the table and bit back a sarcastic remark. "Thank you, Sir," she said with practiced calmness, her hand being released.

Landry nodded. "Uniforms are being arranged for Majors Sheppard, McKay and Dex. I'm sure Dr. Mitchell; Dr. Jackson your father's, can arrange for you both to be taken shopping to get appropriate clothing for your visit to the President."

"I can help there," Vala said excitedly, making both Mitchell's and both Jackson's wince. "What?"

"Nothing," Daniel said quickly, forcing a half smile.

Jack came out of Landry's office and joined them. "The President is eager to meet you all, the day after tomorrow. Since the Odyssey isn't here, we're going to have to get to Washington the old fashion way. An Air Force jet will be waiting for us at Peterson tomorrow after afternoon."

"How quaint," Matt muttered under his breath.

Sam chuckled. "Now that sounds like a McKay we all know and loath."

He arched an eyebrow. "Flying is not my favorite past time."

"Really?" she was a little surprised. "But you're a qualified pilot."

"Doesn't mean I have to like it."

"He get's air sick," Danielle smirked. "He threw up sitting back seat for me once during a dog fight, wasn't pretty. Even with the internal dampeners in the F-306."

"F-306?" Sam questioned her.

"Stealth fighter plane, same size as the F-302, but faster and can jump to hyperspace, as well as having stealth capabilities." Jason explained. "I flew one during my time with the 701st _DragonRiders_."

"We have that squadron, but they fly F-302's." Cameron informed. "I was squadron leader for the _WraithWaxers_."

"Until the incident in the Antarctica," his son declared. "That happened in our universe too."

"Well as much as I'd love to hear old war stories," Jack groused. "ID's need to be arranged…" he paused as Walter Harriman entered the briefing room with a stuck of files. He handed the Atlantis team one each, along with a pen. Jack continued. "Which means you have a stuck of paper work, to do."

Nick sat back in his chair and muttered in Lantean, which set Danielle off with the giggles, he smirked. As the rest of his team, who had understood him.

Jack glared at them and then to his friend. "What?"

Daniel held back from laughing. "It's nothing, Jack," he said trying hard not to snigger.

"All right people," Landry put a stop to it. "Let's get some work done, please. I want a copy of the cover stories on my desk by 1800, along with those files. Dismissed."

All of Atlantis SG-1, Sam and Cam stood as both General's got up and returned to Landry's office.

Daniel glanced at his daughter and Jason. "You know, we're going to have to break you of that habit."

Danielle retook her seat. "It's a hard habit to break," she commented as the rest of her team and SG-1's two Air Force officers sat down.

"Let's get you started on the paper work," Sam suggested. "And then we can tackle the cover stories."

"Sounds good," Cameron, agreed.

Nick opened the folder in front of him. "We're going to need coffee," he remarked seeing what needed to be done.

"Lot's of it," Danielle agreed, having opened her own folder.

0o0o0o0

Cameron glanced at his watch; they'd been at it for four hours, four long hours and a lot of coffee. He ran his fingers through his hair; he'd never realized doing paper work and making up background stories could be so exhausting. Getting up he went over and poured himself another cup of coffee.

Sam joined him, getting another herself. She nudged his shoulder and gestured towards the large viewing window. Standing practically in each other's arms were Nick and Danielle.

Bray wandered over, getting coffee, seeing who they were looking out. "It's nothing unusual for us, the two of them like that."

"And no one has said anything?" Sam inquired.

"Why would they?" he wanted to know. "They've grown up together. Nick taught her to fly a puddlejumper, he even taught her to swim. She taught him languages. She's yin to his yang, so to speak."

"But it's against regs?" Cameron declared.

Bray arched an eyebrow. "To be close? Nar."

"No, I mean, for them to be together?"

"Well, for one, they aren't together. Yet. And two, she's not Air Force anymore and if they can't work together after all this time. Then we're in trouble, because those two work at their best when they're connected with each other."

"How connected?" Sam asked concerned, putting her coffee on the desk.

Bray knew she was fishing for information, they both were. "Look, Colonel's, you've got nothing to worry about. Sheppard loves Dani and Dani loves Sheppard. We all know it and now so do they. Once they've sorted it all out, then they'll reach a new level of understanding. No problem." He stated and returned to his seat.

Sam glanced at Cameron. "New level of understanding?"

He shrugged just as confused. "I have no idea."

Daniel joined them, seeing their confusion. "What's up?" Sam quickly filled him in, keeping her voice down. He arched an eyebrow when she was finished. "I wouldn't worry about it."

"That's it?" Cameron queried a little surprised.

Daniel nodded. "That's it. They're close, they've grown up together; he's protective of her. They all are, they're all very touchy with her."

"But Sheppard's in love with her," the Colonel corrected.

"True, but that hasn't stopped them from functioning as a team," Daniel told him. "They've managed to make a connection that has served them in the field, both Dani and Nick have told me that," he defended and glared slightly at Sam, a little annoyed they were questioning his daughter's loyalty, particularly when it hit so close to home. "Jack and I were like that once, remember. For the first few years, when the program first started; we were so connected, so close people thought we were gay, well me especially."

"They didn't Daniel," she said flinching a little.

It was a lie and he knew it. "They thought it and acted on it. The fourth year of the program, my life here became a living nightmare some days," he stated, not holding back, he'd done that for too long. "It got so bad that I thought about quitting. And when Oma offered me ascension the first time, I actually thought I wasn't good enough. I remember that and I remember wishing Jack would tell me to stay, but he didn't. He didn't ask me to fight and he didn't ask me to stay. What he did do was let me go. You all let me go, Sam."

His words hurt, but they were true, they had let him go. "I'm sorry, Daniel."

He shook his head slowly. He hadn't meant to let her have the full blunt of it. "It's not your apology I've been waiting for, Sam," he said bitterly and then went over to his daughter and Nick.

Cameron didn't know what to do. "Sam?"

"No, Cam, it's okay, he's right," she said wearily. "That's what hurts the most," she admitted. "We lost Daniel long before he ascended the first time and we never really got him back. Not entirely, maybe we never will, but I think Dani might."

He saw what she meant. Danielle instinctively reached out for her 'father'; a simple touch changed Daniel's body language. He returned the touch without thinking about it, and the two of them seemed to gravitate towards each other. Father and daughter; the bond was already starting between them as if it had been there forever. It made Cameron seek his own 'son' out, Jason seemed to know he was being watched and looked, giving him a reassured smile, which he acknowledged with his own. That something that had been missing in his life, the little nagging feeling he got when he was around his nephew and niece. It was now gone. In its place was something he liked even more. His son.

He nearly dropped his coffee mug. Oh god, he had a teenage son!

Sam grabbed the mug from Cameron shaking hands and put it on the desk. "Cam? You okay."

"I have a son, Sam. A teenage, son," he said a little bewildered. "And I have to tell my parents."

She understood; it was finally hitting him. "You'll be fine, Cam, your parents are going to love him."

"What if I can't be a father? I've never been a father?" he asked her a little panicked, keeping his voice down.

"Cam," she put her hand on his arm. "Take a deep breath," she waited until he'd down so. "Let it out." He did. "Feel better?"

He nodded slowly. "Sorry."

"It's okay," she assured. "We're all still dealing with this."

Danielle knew something had happened; her dad's body language was easy enough to read. However he wasn't saying what, but she had a feeling she knew. "Excuse me."

"Dani," Daniel grabbed her arm, stopping her, knowing she knew. "Don't."

She shook her head. "I can't watch it happen again, dad. Not this time," she remarked and pulled free. She left the briefing room and followed her instincts, changing levels she made her way into the commissary on 22. It was mostly deserted, no one acknowledged her arrival, and she spotted General O'Neill and moved around two out going members of SG-11, who received her with a polite nod, to get to him.

She sat without being invited. "We need to talk, Uncle Jack."

Jack, sat back in his chair, eyeing the young woman wearily. "Uncle?"

She lent forward, leaning on the table. "The semantics are neither here nor there," she retorted, her mannerisms so like her father.

He saw it clearly enough. "So talk."

Danielle didn't hold back. "You need to apologize to dad. Now, before it's too late."

"I beg your pardon?"

"You heard me, Uncle Jack," she said bluntly, sitting back, not backing down. "My father trusted Jack O'Neill with his life, he considered him family. He was his family. Him and the rest of SG-1, just as dad considers you and this SG-1 his family. And just like what happened in my universe. You've pushed him away. You've made him feel he wasn't wanted or needed, and when he needed you the most. When all he wanted was for you to ask him to stay; you let him go."

Jack knew what she was talking about – Daniel's first ascension. "He was dying."

"He could have been healed!" she snapped, her eyes narrowed as her stomach churned that even in this universe the man could be so dence.. "He was being healed, but he left because you and the rest of SG-1 left him. Not physically, but you turned away from him. You pushed him away and he went."

The tone of her voice was filled with pain and anger, her eyes held the same pain. Pain Jack had seen in Daniel's eyes to many times. Pain he'd coursed. He hated it, hated the way it tired his guts in knots. "Daniel came back to us," he choked out.

"And he was faced with having to prove himself all over again and face the pain of being rejected by you; not as severely as the first time, but it happened. All! Over! Again!"

"That's not true!" Jack snarled at her, his patients over the matter gone.

Danielle wasn't frighten of him, she didn't back down. She never had. "It is true and you know it!" she said without regret. "I was there when my father died and ascended. I was there when my Uncle Jack fell apart, when he begged me to forgive him. When he looked into my little brother's tear filled eyes. When he begged my mother to forgive him for not being there," her eyes narrowed again and she gripped the edge of the table with white knuckled. "Don't wait until dad isn't around to feel guilt!" She pushed her chair back and stood. "Because maybe in this universe, dad won't forgive you; maybe he won't support you. And he just might not agree to be your best man either," she declared and walked out.

Jack sat there for a moment stunned, trying to comprehend what she'd said. Finally, he got to his feet and hurried after her. She stood waiting at the elevator. "Danielle!" he saw her drop her head a little, but didn't acknowledge him. He raised his voice a little more, putting command force behind it. "Jackson! About face!"

She did so without thinking, her back ramrod straight as she stood at attention, a left over reaction, that she'd done without question. "Sir!"

He grabbed her arm and dragged her down the corridor and into a deserted ISO room, making her face him. "If you ever talk to me that way again… I'll…!"

She didn't flinch; she was too well trained and knew him too well. "You'll what, General?" She asked him. "Unlike your insubordinates, I'm not afraid of you. I never was and I never will be."

He could see that, but that was beside the point. "I don't care if you're afraid of me or not!" he snapped at her. "I'm still a General and I will not be spoken to like a first year Cadet!"

"Then stop acting like one, Uncle Jack!" she throw back at him and then hit her message home. "You're not the only one who hurts. You're not the only one who worries." She took a deep breath, letting it out as she hugged her arms tightly to her body. She hated having to do this, but didn't want to feel that pain again. "Your family to him Uncle Jack and it hurt him that you walked way. You turned your back on him when he needed you the most. That hurt."

Jack squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, when he opened them; he saw tears in her eyes. He drew her into his arms, feeling hers go round him. She was right. "I'm sorry."

"Then tell him, Uncle Jack," she whispered. "He needs you now more than ever. He needs you to be there for him, if only to talk to."

"I will, kiddo," he promised. "I will." He cupped her face in his hands, smiling down at her. "You are far to like your father for your own good at times, sweetheart."

"So I'm told," she said and stepped back, wiping her cheeks. "A lot of the time by you."

"Then start and believe it," he ordered her and then guided her out of the room, his arm around her shoulders. "Just out of curiosity, who did I marry?"

She chuckled. "Your wife."

"Oh very funny," he groused as she laughed. "Come on kiddo; let's go find you're dad. I have some apologizing to do to him."

"Do it one on one Uncle Jack," she advised.

"Ya think?"

"I think," she giggled. "Stop being a smart ass, Uncle Jack."

"That's smart ass, sir to you, young lady."

"Yes, Sir Uncle Jack, sir," she teased.

They took the elevator back to level 27 and walked back into the briefing room. Jack patted Danielle on the back and went over to his friend. "Daniel, can I have a word."

Daniel arched an eyebrow and nodded, getting up he left the briefing room, going into one of the empty offices. "What's up, Jack?"

"I just had an interesting conversation with your daughter," the General remarked, a little cautious.

"And?"

"And she was right, about a lot of things," Jack admitted. "I owe you an apology, Danny." He saw the surprise expressed in his friend's eyes, but not openly. It had been along time since he'd called him that; too long. "I pushed you away and I shouldn't have. I'm sorry."

Daniel didn't say anything; he hadn't expected an apology, not after all this time. But then again he hadn't expected to have a daughter or for her to push the problem into the open that he'd carefully hitten.

Jack became worried. "Daniel?"

"Why now, Jack?" he finally asked.

"Because your daughter is right, Daniel," Jack confessed. "I pushed you away, I thought you didn't need me and I was wrong."

"Yes, you were Jack, but you were also right?" Daniel told him, admitting that to himself. "You made me look at myself and make some changers, but at the same time you pushed me so far away that I lost my best friend. When I needed you, you weren't there."

"I should have been," Jack, told him. "You should have been able to come to me and I wasn't there. And after you descended, I kept you at arms length when I should have been pulling you close and that was wrong. I'm sorry."

The archaeologist stepped closer and did something he hadn't down in a long time. He hugged his friend. After the initial shock, Jack hugged him back. It was a start, they had a long way to go, but it was a start.

0o0o0o0

Matt stepped out of the elevator and strolled down the corridor; he knew where he was going, some things didn't change, not even in other universes. He found the lab and walked in. "Colonel Carter?"

Sam looked. "Hey, Matt, come in."

He went further in. "I hope you don't mind, Colonel Mitchell said you were still here."

"I had a few things I had to finish up," she said, smiling a little hesitantly. Knowing who he was still gave her a funny feeling. She didn't know how to deal with it yet. "How are your quarters?"

"They're good."

"So Cam's still here too?"

Matt nodded; he could see she was a little comfortable. He understood; it wasn't easy on him either. "Yeah, he and Jason are talking about jets, the F-302, 306, exchanging stories, that sort of thing."

Sam chuckled. "So you really don't like flying?

"No, I like flying, when I'm at the controls," he corrected and took a seat. "Dani was right though, I do get air sick, but only when I'm not doing the flying."

Sam grinned at that. "You like being in control."

"Yes, Ma'am," he smirked.

She chuckled. "You know sometimes you're a lot like McKay and other times you're not."

He shrugged. "I spent a lot of time in my mom's lab when I was growing up, playing with doohickey's," he revealed a little modest. "I built my first naquadah generator when I was six."

"Really," she found that amusing. "And you're mom let you?"

"Well," he shrugged. "I was bored and mom had all the parts, so…."

Sam laughed. "So you built it," she saw him nod. "She must have been so proud."

"She was, showed everyone. Even sent dad a message," he mused, saddened by the fact he was never going to see his mother again. She wasn't even really his mother; he was just a copy who ended up in the wrong universe. He tired to hide it, but the emotion was in his voice even so. "Dad was so proud he bragged for weeks, or so Uncle John told me."

Sam heard the slight waver to his voice; she got up and went over to him. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah," he gave her a halfhearted smile. "I guess it's all hitting home. That this is now home, that everyone we know and love isn't here, but is, but in a different way."

"Was there someone, you know special?"

He nodded. "Tori, we were thinking of getting married."

"Tori?"

"Major Sheppard's sister," he admitted a little forlorn. "I guess the real me is going to get the chance."

She swallowed hard. "I'm sorry, Matt. Is there anything I can do?" She saw him hesitated, there was, she knew it, but he wasn't going to ask. He didn't need to. She drew him into her arms and hugged him, gently rubbing his back, feeing him hug her back. There weren't tears, but she knew deep down he hurt. They all did. Each one of them was going to break, and fall; they just had to be there to catch them and help pick up the pieces. "Come on, kiddo, let's go get a coffee. I'd like to hear about your mom, your dad and Tori."

Matt nodded, pulling back, a little embarrassed. "Thanks."

She smiled warmly. "Hey, I may not be your mom in this universe, but I can listen and I can be there for you if you need me too. Okay."

"Okay," he agreed with another nod, this time giving her a smile as he stood.

She put her arm around his shoulders and guided him out of the lab. "Besides I want all the dirt you can dish up on McKay."

Matt chuckled. "I think I can do that."

"Sweet," she mused.

0o0o0o0

Daniel was heading to his on base quarters when he saw his team leader coming out of one of the guest room. "Hey."

Cameron looked. "Hey, Jackson."

"Heading home?"

"No, I thought I'd stay on base tonight," he answered and then glanced back into the room, the light from the corridor shone in. Jason was curled up on his side asleep. "He flaked out about thirty minutes ago."

Daniel heard more then Cameron was expressing. "You all right?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "It's just been an interesting night; I got to know my son," he shut the door and walked with Daniel. "He told me how he got to be a member of SG-1."

"Dani said something about being injured during a dog fight," the archaeologist said as they came to his quarters, he opened the door and they went in. "She didn't go into detail though, only after he recovered he transferred to SG-1."

"It gave me goose bumps," Cameron admitted, "and Jason did go into detail. It wasn't pretty, he was lucky to have survived."

Daniel pulled off his jacket and threw it on the bed; he gestured for Cameron to sit and then did so next to his jacket. "How bad was it?"

The Colonel sat and ran his fingers through his hair. "He took a hit to his main engines, a second to the secondary systems. His co-pilot was killed instantly when the secondary's blew. The force of an impact with an enemy ship knocked them into the shields of their carrier, the '_Odinn_', the F-306 impacted and bounced off the shield and knocked them into the atmosphere of the planet they were trying to protect. Jason was beamed out seconds before his F-306 exploded." He paused, lacing his fingers together in his lap. "He was resuscitated in the infirmary on his arrival, his spine and left knee were completely shattered, he had burns and internal bleeding. They had to rebuild both his spine and knee." He bit his bottom lip, stopping before he drew blood. "He was in a coma for three months, they didn't think he'd survive, they told his parents his chances were slim."

"But he did." Daniel stated.

"Yeah he did. He woke up after three months and then took another three to get back on his feet, then he had to prove he was fit enough to be in a team."

"And he started dating Dani during that time," the archaeologist noted.

"That too, he said she was instrumental in getting him back on his feet." Cameron declared. "You know, the more time I spend with her, I can really see where she got her stubbornness and determination from."

Daniel smiled. "Yes, well, according to Dani, her mother was just as stubborn, not to mention incredibly manipulative, especially when it came to her husband."

"Sounds like her parents were made for each other," the Colonel smirked.

"It does, doesn't it?" Daniel remarked, a little sarcastically. "Still they obviously had a good life together and loved each other very much."

"Yeah," Cameron stood. "They were lucky," he said quietly and walked out, leaving his friend to ponder his words. He headed to his quarters, finding Carolyn Lam on the verge of walking away. "Hey doc."

"Colonel," she seemed a little nervous. "Could I have word with you?"

"Sure," he opened the door to his quarters and they went in. He shut it and pulled off his jacket. "What can I do for you?"

She shifted from one foot to the other. "I wanted to ask you about Jason. He seems a nice young man."

Cameron gestured for her to sit and did so himself. "He is. A little like his dad and a little like his mom."

"Which would be my alternate," she stated.

"Yep."

"Don't you find that just a little creepy?" she inquired.

He shook his head. "No. Do you?"

"A little. In alternate universe, you and I got together, married and had a child."

"Children," he corrected. "Jason has a younger sister, Lexie."

Carolyn's eyes widened a little. "Dad must have loved that."

"He seems to be handling better then you," Cameron noted. "He hasn't tried to kill me yet."

"Well, it wasn't actually you, who married his little girl. It was an alternate you, in an alternate universe," she pointed out.

"True, but he has a young man, who could be his grandson, who resembles me and is now my son, sleeping in quest quarters within the SGC," he declared. "Jason is a lot like me, but he's also a lot like you."

"Really?"

"Well, he put his own life on the line to save Dani, not once but twice that I've been told about. And he's done it without hesitation for the rest of his team or anyone in need," Cameron divulged. "That is like you."

She frowned a little. "You've put your life on the line to save a team member and you've had field medical training."

"True, so I guess that makes him a little like both of us," he unlaced his boots and pulled them off. "Anything else, doc?"

"No," she stood. "Good luck in telling you're parents."

"Thanks," he got to his feet too. "Look Carolyn, you should talk to him. He's a good kid."

She nodded. "I'll think about it," she assured and quickly left.

Cameron sighed and shut the door; it was going to take time, he knew that.

Down the corridor, Nick knocked on the door to Danielle's quarters, the door was opened and she gestured him inside. "We need to talk," he stated as he walked in.

She shut the door and lent against it. "It's long over due, isn't it?"

He nodded and turned around. "Dani…"

She lent off the door and stepped as close to him as she could, cupping his face in her hands, she rose up on her toes and kissed him, slowly at first, feeling his hesitation and surprise. Then his body relaxed and enclosed her in his arms, parting his lips to allow her access. As first kisses go, this was a good one, but Dani kissed like she hugged. She threw everything she felt into it.

Nick pulled away, needing to breath, his heart raced as he sucked air into his lungs. He hadn't been expecting the kiss, but then again, expecting the unexpected was normal for them. "We still need to talk."

"I know, I just had to do that," she admitted.

He sighed and rested his forehead against hers. "I know. I'm glad you did, but..."

She smiled, straightening. "But we've been holding back for far too long and now we need to think things out."

"Damn right we do," Nick agreed. "But it's more than that, Dani. This is a different universe, with different rules."

"I know," she rested her head against his chest, his heart beat echoing in her ear. "It doesn't change who we are or what we feel though."

"No, it doesn't," he said and kissed the top of her head. "We need time to work this out, away from this base, from Atlantis."

"From my dad?" She mused.

"Yeah, no offence kiddo, but this Daniel is become just as protective as the one from our universe," Nick exclaimed and nuzzled the top of her head. "One day at a time, Dani-girl."

"One day at a time," she agreed as she ran her fingers down his back. She knew his body, she'd been held by him so many times. They'd shared sleeping quarters off world, a locker room. She'd seen him at his worst and he'd seen her at hers.

Nick stepped back. "Come on Dani," he guided her over to the bed and sat her down, taking the chair from near the desk he sat too. He felt nervous, which was unusual. He'd never been nervous around her before.

Danielle smiled warmly and reached out and took his hand in hers. "We can work this out. We've been working it out and working through it. You know as well as I do, that we work well together because we have a unique bond. It's been there from the time we were kids."

"And now that we love each other?" he asked her.

"Now it can only get stronger," she promised and edged closer to him, she knew Nick well enough to see the past few days were catching up with him. "You're the reason why I kept fighting after being impaled. You're the reason why I didn't ascend when the Vollan's tortured me. You've been at my side when I needed you most. You were there when I lost my parents; you're my anchor, Nick. You always have been. You always will be."

He felt the rise of emotion that he'd been holding back for days, being strong because they needed him to be. He couldn't keep it up thought. "What if I can't be, Dani?" He asked her, his eyes became glassy with tears.

"You can be, Nick, because you're strong, you've always been strong."

"No I haven't," he corrected her, letting the first tear slid down his cheek. "I've just kept it well hidden from everyone." With a tug on his hand, he got up and sat beside her, now he could break, because now it was just them. "What if I can't hold everyone together?"

Danielle drew him into her arms as the damn broke and he lost it and she held him together, she rubbed his back and kissed the top of his head as his shoulders shook with every sob. "I love you, Nick. And together we can be strong for each other. We'll get though it together," she whispered and managed to get him to settle back onto the bed with her, holding him. With a wave of her hand, the lights went out, except for a dim bedside light and the light that filtered in from under the door.

His tears dried up and exhaustion took over and he slept, safe in her arms and she slept safe in his. Together.

0o0o0o0

Cameron hurried down the hallway, he knocked on the door to Daniel's quarters, and it was opened by a still half asleep archaeologist. "We've got a problem," he informed. "Sheppard isn't in his quarters."

Daniel sighed and dropped his head to his chest for a moment. It was too early and he hadn't had his coffee yet. He looked up, realizing where the young Major could be. "Have you tried Dani's quarters?"

"Dani's?" Cameron quizzed him.

He nodded. "Yeah," he put on his glasses and walked out; the Colonel followed him down to his daughter's quarters. He didn't bother to knock; he opened the door and sighed again.

Cameron looked too, see the person in question curled up asleep, his arms wrapped round his teammate and best friend, sound asleep. Reaching around Daniel he shut the door and stood in front of it, arms folded against his chest. "Okay, what do we do about it?"

"Nothing," Daniel informed and stated walking away.

"Nothing?" The Colonel was a little confused, hurrying after him. "Nothing? Jackson?"

"We're doing nothing Mitchell. The only thing they've done is fallen asleep. That's it," Daniel told him. "So leave it. I'm going to get some coffee."

"But?"

"Mitchell, leave it," Daniel said sternly. "They haven't done anything." He stopped. "Nick is a strong leader and a strong young man, but even strong leaders sometimes need to let go. The past few days have been hard on them, hard on him. He's held it together the entire time. Don't you think it was time he let go?"

Realizing what his friend was saying, Cameron nodded. "Yeah I guess it was. Jason crumbled last night."

"So did Dani," the archaeologist revealed. "I'm guessing, but I'd say the all came apart last night, one way or another. So just let it be."

Nodding, the Colonel agreed. "All right, let's get some coffee."

"Good idea." Daniel stated and they headed for the elevator.

Inside Danielle's quarters, she woke tangled in Nick's arms. She smiled and brushed her lips against his, seeing him wake. "Morning."

It took a moment to realize where he was. "It is. Crap."

She held him down. "Nick, relax, you've done nothing wrong except fall asleep. Besides, the security camera is off."

"It is?" he looked at her wearily. "You didn't?"

"I did, the moment you walked in here last night," she said sheepishly and ran her finger over his lips. "There are some things they don't need to know about."

"Like this?" he asked and kissed her.

"Yeah, like that," she agreed and returned the kiss; parting her lips to give him better access to her mouth, groaning as he took the invitation and kissed her deeply, cradling her head in his hands.

Only the need to breathe broke them apart, both of them breathing hard. "We need some alone time, Dani-girl."

"Sooner then later," she agreed.

He brushed his lips over hers once more. "I need to get out of here, now before I can't," he released her and got to his feet. Turing to see she had sat up. "See you at the commissary for breakfast?"

Nodding she stood. "I'll grab a shower and meet you there."

"Good idea," he agreed and then kissed her forehead. "Fix the security camera after I leave."

She smiled. "Yes, Sir, Major, Sir."

"Smart ass," he mused and left her quarters.

After a quick shower, Danielle dressed and pulled on her boots. Brushing her hair, she pulled it back into a ponytail, leaving her jacket behind; she left her quarters, telekinetically turning the security camera on as she did. She took the elevator to 22 and walked into the commissary, seeing her dad and the rest of his team seated with Bray, Jason and Matt. "Morning," she greeted as she joined them.

"Morning," her dad greeted her, as did everyone else.

"I'll go grab some breakfast and join you," she declared and did just that. She took a seat in between her dad and Cameron, putting the tray on the table.

"Sleep well?" Cameron asked her.

She smiled. "Very well, thanks."

"Good."

Sam looked curiously at Daniel, who shook his head; she decided to ask him later. "So Dani, are you all right with doing some shopping today?"

"Yes, we thought we'd get Daniel's credit card off him and get you some essentials," Vala said with a grin.

Danielle arched an eyebrow. "Essentials?"

"Yes, all the things a young lady needs. Like handcuffs."

Daniel nearly choked on his coffee, his daughter patting him gently on the back. "Handcuffs aren't essential's Vala."

"Really, well," Vala said, and gave him a wink. "I'll just buy them for her as a present."

"I don't need handcuffs," Danielle said with a straight face. "I have a pair back at Atlantis."

This time, Sam nearly choked. "You do?"

"They're standard issue with all equipment," the young archaeologist answered and then smiled slyly as she sipped her coffee. "You never know when you're going to need to handcuff someone."

"Like the Major at the his birthday party," Bray smirked. "It took you guys all of what to get out of them…. Ten minutes?"

"Two and that was only because he was wiggling," she answered.

Cameron laughed. "Why were you handcuffed together?"

"Well it was Nick's birthday and we'd had a few drinks," Danielle explained. "And someone challenged us; they said we couldn't escape a store room handcuffed together."

"And you did?"

"Yep," she grinned. "Two minutes to get the cuffs off and three minutes to escape the store room."

"You actually wanted to escape the store room?" Vala asked her a little shocked.

Danielle arched her eyebrow again. "Of course, it was Marines who challenged us, we did it for honor," she said proudly and started to laugh at Vala's stunned expression, soon they were all joining in.

By the time Nick arrived, the laughter had died down; he got breakfast and sat next to Vala. Unsure as to why she was looking at him funny. "Morning."

Vala tried hard to keep a straight face. "Morning," she managed and then started to giggle.

He glared at his teammates, knowing they'd been telling tales. "What did you tell them?"

"Us? Nothing." Bray insisted, grinning. "Well maybe something."

"Handcuffs," Cameron spoke up, smiling behind his coffee.

Nick groaned, looking at his archaeologist. "You didn't."

"We did," Danielle confessed. "The whole story."

"The whole story?"

"Yep," she mused, then tried to look sorrowful. "Sorry."

"You're not in the slightest."

"No, I'm not," she admitted and joined in the laughter as Nick gave up and laughed with them.

0o0o0o0

Vala folded another new item of clothing, after a five hour shopping trip, she and Sam had returned Danielle to the mountain and safely to the SGC. They'd run into the guys who had grumbled that they'd managed to complete their shopping in two hours and asked what they'd done for the extra three hours. The three of them had just giggled and escaped to Danielle's quarters, Sam had left a few minutes ago to check on an experiment before she headed home.

In the five hours they'd been together shopping, Vala had managed to find out a few things about the archaeologist. She picked up a sexy nightgown she and Sam had picked out for Danielle, a girl had to have some luxuries. "You still haven't answered my question?"

Danielle looked innocently. "What was it again?"

Vala knew she was being played, but she asked it again. "What's it like being the only female on a team of sexy guys?"

The younger woman smiled. "It's interesting, they're very protective."

"So who have you slept with?"

"Slept with," Danielle knew what she meant, but she wasn't going to make it easy. "All of them, we've made it policy that we sleep together when off world."

Vala threw the nightgown at her. "That wasn't what I meant and you know it?"

The archaeologist giggled as she refolded the nightgown. "I know," she mused. "Why do you want to know?"

"Curiosity."

"Aha," she put the nightgown down. "We shared a locker room, I've seen them all stripped down."

"Really," Vala's eyes lit up. "Are we talking impressive?"

"Very," she mused.

Vala sat on the edge of the bed. "So, who was it?"

"Who was what?" Danielle asked her innocently.

"Who was it you slept with?" the ex-thief pushed, grinning. "Major Dex is sexy in a strong domineering way and Matthew; I bet he knows some moves in bed, being smart and all."

Danielle couldn't help but laugh. "I'm sure they're both very good in bed."

"So it's either the young handsome doctor or the equally handsome and very sexy Major Sheppard." Vala said her eyes sparkling with the knowledge she'd managed to bring it down to two.

Danielle sighed and slipped off the shoes she was wearing, she borrowed them from Vala, as she did the dress. "Does it really matter?" She asked and gathered the dress up and slipped it off. Flicking it out she laid it on the bed and turned to grab a black t-shirt of the dresser.

Vala saw the scars on the younger woman's back, it was the first time she'd seen them. Sam had mentioned them when she'd zipped up a dress for Danielle in the changing room. "No I suppose it doesn't," she managed to say, feeling her stomach tighten.

Danielle turned, the t-shirt in her hand, she sensed the change in the woman and knew why; it wasn't the first time. "They're just scars, Vala."

Standing Vala hugged her arms to her chest. "Did it hurt, when it happened?"

The archaeologist put her hand on the scar on her flat stomach. "Yes, my whole body felt like it was on fire," she revealed and then pulled the t-shirt on. "But that's what a pulse staff does."

"I'm sorry."

"For what?" Danielle inquired. "You're not the first one to ask that question." She pulled on black BDU trousers and did them up. "You won't be the last either." She sat on the bed and put her socks and boots back on, the legs of her trousers tucked into her boots. Standing she pulled her tags on; she wasn't ready to give up wearing them just quiet yet. "I don't see the scars as badgers of honor or anything like that; they're more of a reminder that I'm alive."

Vala nodded and uncrossed her arms. "Well, I'd better get going, I'm sure you've a lot to do before you're trip to Washington."

Nodding, Danielle walked with her to the door. "Thanks for the shopping trip."

"Hey anytime," Vala told her, trying to be upbeat. "Besides Daniel paid for most of it."

"Thanks anyway,"

Nodding, Vala walked away.

Danielle waited until she was out of sight before heading out herself, shutting the door she went down to Nick's quarters. She knocked and then opened the door and went in; the rest of her team was already there. She closed the door, leaning against it. "Gangs all here," she remarked.

"Come take a seat, kid." Bray offered. "How was the shopping trip?"

"It was okay," she shrugged and grabbed a chair, sitting next to Nick. "Through I could have done it in one hour, instead of five. I don't remember Aunt Sam being such a shopaholic."

"I might have been different if Vala had survived in our old universe." Matt declared.

"Maybe," she agreed. "A lot of things are different here."

"Have you mentioned any differences to anyone?" Nick asked her.

She shook her head. "No."

"Neither have I," Jason added.

"Me either," Matt put forth.

"Nope," Bray finished.

"All right," Nick rubbed his temples. "Let's keep it that way."

"Anything else, Major?" Matt inquired.

"Just watch what you say to the President," he advised and saw the nod. "All right, that's it."

"I don't like Washington," Danielle stated. "Never have."

"I know," he agreed. "I don't like it either."

"I'd rather be home."

"Me too," the four men agreed with her.

"_Do you think they'd notice if we just disappeared and headed to Uncle Jack's cabin_?" She queried switching to Lantean.  
"_I think they would_," Bray informed in the same language, adding. "_They wouldn't know we were gone until it was too late, but they'd notice_."

"_Not to mention it would piss the President off_." Matt added also using Lantean.

"_Well that wouldn't be something unusual_," Jason smirked in Lantean. "_We have done that before_."

"_Very true_," Nick said dryly, having also switched languages. "_But not in this universe_."

His teammates agreed silently.

"_So_," Matt drew out the syllables. "_Want to make a run for it_?"

"_That we do_," Bray said with a smirk. "_Do you remember the way to your Uncle Jack's cabin, Dani_?"

"_I can find it in my universe, so I can find it here_," she said confidently, grinning.

"_It's a plan_," he declared and glanced at his friend. "_What do you say, Major. Up for it_?"

"_Bray, if Dani is going, then I'm going_," Nick said bluntly. "_That's SOP_."

"_Then we have so planning to do_." Danielle declared.

"_That we do_," Nick agreed.

0o0o0o0

**Twelve hours later:**

Jack paced in front of Hank Landry's desk. "What do you mean they're gone?"

"They're gone, Jack," he repeated. "One minute they were in their quarter's the next they were gone. I've got Dr. Jackson reviewing security tapes. Apparently at one point they stopped talking English and starting talking Ancient or Lantean as they call it."

Jack stopped pacing and ran his fingers through his hair. "I can't believe this."

Daniel walked in the Cameron, neither was happy, but they did have news. "We know where they are?"

"Where?" Jack demanded.

"You're cabin, Sir," Cameron revealed.

"They planned their escape yesterday afternoon," Daniel said calmly and with reason. "We should have seen this coming."

"Why?" Landry asked him.

"Because the decision to go to Washington wasn't one they were given a choice about, they were ordered," the archaeologist stated.

"They're feeling overwhelmed sir," Cameron followed through. "We've been pushing for information and acceptance since they arrived."

"Well thank you, Dr. Spock," Jack said sarcastically. "Let's go get them."

"Jack," Daniel held his friend back. "Let them be for a few days," he advised. "Reschedule with the President and give them time to come to terms with that's happened to them."

"Jackson and I can head up to the cabin and let them knows all fine and then bring them back with us in a few days," Cameron put forth.

Jack frowned, and then nodded. "All right, but the President isn't going to like this."

"You'll bring him around," Daniel said with a smug smile.

Cameron held back on that, he looked to his CO. "General."

"Get going, Colonel before I change my mind and send in a squad of Marines."

"Yes sir," he responded and left with Daniel.  
Jack sat wearily in his seat. "It's payback, Hank. Payback."

Hank Landry chuckled and handed over the phone. "Yes, Jack it is. Deal with it," he ordered him.

0o0o0o0

**Jack O'Neill's Cabin:**

Bray saw the black mustang pull up and the two men get out. He headed outside to great them. "Colonel, Dr. Jackson."

"Major," Cameron responded. "Nice escape you pulled."

"Thanks, it's what we do?" he smirked. "Though it took you longer then we thought to figure it out."

"Yes, well, we had to go through a few hours with of security taps first," Daniel remarked and pulled his bag from the back seat, along with Mitchell's handing the Colonel's his before shutting the door. "You don't have to be back on base for a couple of days. We managed to smooth things over with Landry and Jack."

"Thanks."

"Yes, well, next time just ask instead of escaping." Cameron told him. "It's a lot easier."

"We'll try to remember that."

"So where are you're other escapee's?"

"McKay and Mitchell are in the cabin playing poker," Bray reported. "And losing, both of them; it's a good thing we're playing for cookies, because they'd be losing their shirts by now if we were playing for money."

"What about Sheppard and Danielle?" Daniel inquired.

"Down by the lake," Bray informed.

Both looked, seeing the couple in each other's arms, the kiss was one for the record books.

"Well, looks like we're playing chaperon," Cameron chuckled.

"Oh very funny," Daniel groaned.

"Hey could be worse," his friend, noted as they followed Bray towards the cabin.

"How?"

"Vala could be here too." Cameron concluded; the look on Daniel's face was priceless.

"Funny, Mitchell, real funny," the archaeologist grumbled.

"Yep," the Colonel said and left it at that.

Daniel groaned and followed the two of them inside. This was going to be a long couple of days.

To be continued….


	4. Holding it together

**Title:** _**Unending**_

**Author:** Anaika Skywalker

**Rating:** M

**Disclaimer:** Don't own it, wish I did, I just like to play in their universe once and a while. I'll put them back when I'm finished. I promise.

**Author's Note:** I apologize for taking so long, but real life came first and my muse ran off with a Vala clone from the GateWorld Forum. So I had to think this one through on my own. Please keeping looking for the chapters, I'll get them out as quickly as I can or as I can manage. Though I'm not sure if I will continue with this story or leave it for the moment. As before it is unbeta read, so forgive the mistakes.

_**Winjan:**_ I love the fact the team managed to escape without notice, it was my favorite part of the chapter. _**WingedIsis16:**_ Thanks, it's taking a while, but I am. _**Scottiedog: **_I know I'm taking soooo long. Sorry, but my mused up and left me. Well that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.

_**Unending**_

Chapter Four: _**Holding it together**_

The scream tour through the silence, bringing Cameron Mitchell out of bed instantly, he instinctively grabbed his side arm and stumbled out into the dark, the weapon ready to fire. Light filtered out from Daniel's room as the archaeologist staggered out of his room still half asleep.

"That was Dani," Daniel informed.

Cameron nodded and they both rushed to her bedroom, bursting into the room without knocking.

Nick was already there, he hadn't in fact left. He held his sobbing, shaking archaeologist in his arms, rubbing her back. "It's okay," he whispered. He glanced over his head, seeing the Colonel and doctor.

Daniel didn't need an explanation, he knew what had happened; he grabbed Cameron's arm and dragged him out of the room, shutting the door. But the colonel knew what had happened.

"Nightmare," the Colonel remarked and ran his hand through his hair. "Bad one too by the look of it," he put the safety back on his side arm, having flicked it off, and walked over and turned the light on in the kitchen, putting it on the counter. "Coffee?"

Daniel turned off the flashlight and put it beside the pistol. "Yeah, thanks."

Jason came out of his room carrying a hypo injector. "Morning," he said as he passed, going into the young woman's bedroom.

Cameron had finished making the coffee by the time Nick and Jason came back out; he'd made them one too. Putting a mug in front of them as they sat down, he gave Daniel his and then took his own, joining them at the table. "Well, I wanted to get up early fells, but not this early."

Nick rubbed his eyes wearily. "This one was worse then usual."

"Usual?" Daniel questioned, they'd all suffered from nightmares at one point or another. Especially after joining the Stargate program, it was something they'd all experienced.

"She's been through a lot, Daniel," Jason stated. "More then she should have."

"We all have Jace," Nick declared, but agreed. "But with Dani, she just seems to be a magnet for trouble. The scars on her body aren't the only ones she bares; the emotional ones are a lot deeper."

"Whoa, what scars?" Cameron queried, then for some reason he looked over Nick's head and saw the young woman standing there. "Sorry, kiddo."

"It's okay," she shuffled over to him. "I'll show you," she said and pulled her t-shirt off, she wore a sports bra, she turned; the scar on the back was larger on then on her stomach.

Cameron didn't realize he was touching it until he actually was; he pulled his hand back. "Sorry."

She turned. "Don't be."

He saw the matching scar on her abdomen. "How? What would course scars like this?"

She put her shirt back on and sat next to him. "Being impaled by pulse staff, it entered my back and came out through my stomach."

Cameron swore softly. "Sorry," he apologized again.

"It's okay," she glanced at her dad, his reaction had been similar; she looked back at the Colonel. "We were captured by Vollan's and during the escape; I stepped in front of Nick to protect him. Which I did, I stopped him from being impaled; the Vollan impaled me with his pulse staff instead."

Jason saw the shock on his father's face; he'd paled slightly. "A pulse staff is a little over two meters long and can fire pulse blast or be used as a spear. When the Vollan impaled Dani, it triggered a pulse through the staff. Nick killed the Vollan, but the damage was already done. Dani coded twice on the way to the Stargate and once after we came through," he paused, seeing his friend take his dad's hand, giving it a squeeze. "She was lucky a Tok'ra agent was visiting Atlantis. He used a hand device to stabilize her, and then the medical team took over."

"You feel like your whole body is on fire, the pain is unbelievable," Danielle said, her voice tight with emotion. "I don't remember much after the staff was pulled out, just the pain."

Cameron found his fingers laced comfortably with hers. "How did you survive something like that?"

"It wasn't easy, there were so many times I just wanted to let go, of the pain, the hurt, everything that held me to my body. Just let go and join my parents."

"But you didn't."

"No, I didn't. My brother still needed me and my team needed me," she smiled shyly. "They became my anchor, the reason why I fought so hard too live."

Cameron squeezed her hand gently. "Well I'm glad you did."

She blushed at the comment. "Thanks."

"The team wouldn't be the team without you, Dani." Jason insisted. "You know that."

She gave a nod and a smile. "I know," she turned to Cameron, caressing her thumb over his hand. "I also know my family. My family I have here and now, cares too." She lent closer and kissed his cheek. "Just stop calling me jailbait, or I'm going to start calling you Uncle Cam."

Cameron chuckled. "You've got a deal, kiddo," he promised and gave her a hug, whispering in her ear. "You are damn cute though, Nick's a lucky guy. If you were a bit older, I'd give him a run for his money."

She giggled and sat back. "I'm going to tell him that one day."

"I'll deny everything," he teased.

"Deny what?" Nick inquired, seeing the two grinning.

"Nothing," Danielle told him, smirking.

"Nothing at all," Cameron agreed with her, amused by it.

Nick shook his head. "On second thoughts, I don't think I want to know."

"Safer that way," Daniel agreed, smiling over the lip of his coffee mug.

"Oh yeah," Jason smirked. "A lot safer."

"Hey, I just thought of something?" Cameron interrupted. "How come Bray and Matt aren't out here?"

Nick snorted at that. "Those two would sleep thought anything."

"Really?"

"That and they knew I was with Dani. They would know if anything happened that I couldn't handle," he reassured.

"They would?" Cameron queried curiously.

Danielle nodded. "They would. We're been together long enough to know when one of us needs help and when to offer help."

"You've a bond." Daniel stated.

"Yes."

"It's more then that, though isn't it?" he inquired.

"A little," she agreed. "We've faced so much together, been apart of each other's lives long enough that being together is normal. When one hurts, we all hurt. We're a family."

Daniel knew there was more to it, more then she was going to say. He glanced at his watch. "Well as much as I love being up early. I'm going back to bed."

Jason finished his coffee. "I'm going too," he got up and washed his mug out. "See you all in the morning."

"Night," his dad bided.

Danielle let go of Cameron's hand and stood. "I'm going to try and get some sleep too."

Nick got to his feet; he washed his mug out, leaving it on the sink. "Come on Dani."

She took his hand and went with him back to her room.

Daniel glanced at Cameron, who shrugged and grabbed his mug and washed it along with his own. "They're sleeping together."

The Colonel chuckled. "They're adults, Jackson. Leave them alone."

"She's 17."

Cameron shook his head. "Go to bed. Daniel," he said with a smirk, he took his side arm and head off to his room.

Daniel switched off the light, using the flashlight to go back to his room. Having a daughter wasn't easy and he was learning that the hard way.

In Danielle's room, Nick shut the door and turned the light out, drawing her into his arms. He cupped her face in his hands and brushed his lips over her. She parted her lips and kissed him back, pulling at his t-shirt as he guided her back towards the bed. The back of her legs hit the bed as she managed to get his shirt off; she threw it onto the floor. Then reached for hers, taking if off, it joined it on the floor as she kicked off her sandshoes.

Nick toed off his and reached for her, the sports bra came off her body under his nimble fingers; it landed on the floor with their shirts. Their sweats joined them next and they tumbled onto the bed, him in his boxes, and her in boyleg pants, which quickly joined the pile of clothing.

Nick brushed his lips over her throat and moved slowly down her body. In the last twenty-four hours, he'd gotten to know her intimately, know what she liked and disliked, and when they made love, they touched each other in a way neither had ever known before.

Danielle groaned and gripped the sheets, biting her bottom lip to stop from crying out at as a wave of pleasure washed over her; she squirmed in delight.

Nick chuckled as he moved over her again, her eyes were dark with arousal and her cheeks were flush. He kissed her lips, parting them, thrusting his tongue inside her mouth. She meet it with her own, her hands gripped his shoulders as she thrust her hips to meet his. He nudged between her thighs and they become one, moving together in unison, pushing the limits of pleasure to reach a new height of ecstasy, reaching the peek of release, their cries muffled as their mouth meet in a searing kiss.

Nick buried his head in the crock of her shoulder breathing hard, as she ran her fingers through his damp hair. Lifting his head, he kissed her swollen lips gently. "Let me up, darlin'," she did and he shifted to lay next to her, drawing her once more into his arms.

Danielle lay content in his arms. "Do you think, in our universe, they got together, the other us?"

Nick stroked her shoulder. "They'd be fools if they didn't."

She felt her eyes close, she was sure Jason has slipped her more then a relaxant. "We're no fools."

"No sweetheart, we're not," he said with a smile and kissed the top of her head. "Go to sleep."

"Hmmm, doing that," she murmured.

He chuckled softly as she drifted off and soon joined her.

0o0o0o0

Cameron could feel the breeze against his face as he ran, the morning air had a chill to it, but it was pleasant. He wasn't alone; Nick and Danielle were jogging ahead of him. Bray and Matt were behind him and Jason.

He was a shamed to admit since they'd left the cabin his gaze had been on the young woman ahead of him, she looked good, even in sweats, well the back of her did. That's what he'd been watching for the past five miles.

Jason chuckled. "You're drooling, dad."

He snapped out of it. "What?"

"You're drooling, dad. You've been drooling for the last five miles."

Cameron tired to deny it. "I haven't."

His son chuckled. "You have, not that I blame you, just don't get caught doing it."

"Not likely," he admitted lightly, "Still if she was a few years older."

Jason smiled, but the fact was they had been a few years older. "You'd give the Major a run for his money?"

"Hell, yeah."

"If it wasn't for Dani, I doubt I'd be here." Jason told him. "She got me on my feet when the doctors couldn't." He gave a little smirked. "She had amazing ways to motivate me."

"I bet."

Jason couldn't help but smile at that. "She never gave up on me and I guess that's why I never gave up on her after I joined SG-1."

"You guys are a pretty tight team." Cameron noted. "You're closer then normal teams."

He shrugged casually. "It's who we are. You're close to your team."

"We're not as close as we could be," his dad declared. "But I trust them with my life."

"That's a start." Jason noted, but it bothered him that they were going to have to compromise in this universe.

"What's wrong, kid?" Cameron asked, seeing the frown the came on his son's face.

"It's nothing."

"Jase, come on spill."

The younger Mitchell shrugged a little as they jogged. "It's just we're going to have to make some compromises when we get to Atlantis."

"Like?"

"Well, we had our own team room and we shared a locker room, the five of us, our quarters were on the same level."

"Whoa, wait a minute; you shared a locker room, the five of you?" Cameron said, knowing how Daniel would react to that one.

Jason nodded. "The five of us, it's sort of SOP for us, it's the same with off world visits, we stick together at all times."

"Well, I don't think Dr. Weir will stop the off world SOP, but as for a locker room, that might be different." Cameron declared.

"Like I said, we'll compromise."

They turned back after another mile, this time Danielle and Nick were last, giving her a good look at the two men ahead of her.

"They were talking about you." Nick stated the obvious.

"I know," she smiled. "This Cam Mitchell is different to the Uncle Cam we know, he hasn't seen the things Uncle Cam has, or experienced what he has."

"No, he hasn't."

"Uncle Cam wouldn't flirt." Danielle said with a smirk.

"No he wouldn't." Nick agreed calmly, he knew he had nothing to worry about. "This Cam Mitchell however enjoys flirting with you."

"Yes he does," she giggled. "Jealous?"

"Nope, because I know he won't make a move on you."

"He does have a cute butt thought," she said, teasing.

"I won't know, sweetheart."

She patted his butt. "No you wouldn't," she mused and then jogged head, squeezing between Cameron and Jason. "Excuse me," she said sweetly and kept on jogging, hearing the two Mitchell's chuckle.

Their chuckles quickly became shorts of warnings that Danielle had no time to react too as a jeep roared out of nowhere, hitting the young woman. Her body stuck by the front of the jeep rolled onto the bonnet and then hit the windscreen and was flung off onto the ground, hitting with a sickening thud. The Jeep never stopped, its drunk driver and companions not even aware they'd hit a person.

Voices floated through Danielle's subconscious, her teams, her father's, Cameron Mitchell's. There was a blurred recollection of base paramedic's, a helicopter ride, Dr. Lam's voice shouting orders as pain racked her body with every breath she took. Then there was what felt like a pin prick and a painless darkness reached out to take her and she let it.

0o0o0o0

Jack rubbed his hand over his face and tried unsuccessfully to get comfortable in the chair. The sound of the heart monitor was steady, one beat after another. At least the young woman lying in the bed before him was off the respirator, a nasal cannula still supplied oxygen at her nose.

Sitting forward, Jack took her hand in his, being careful not to knock of the pulse monitor clipped to her finger. An IV was in her other arm, supplying lost blood and antibiotics. He knew as well as the doctors what she'd been lucky. Damn lucky, she'd also nearly died. They'd nearly lost her on the helicopter and then after they'd arrived at the SGC. She'd been bleeding internally, one lung punctured by one of four broken ribs. Her left shoulder was badly bruised, but luckily not dislocated.

For a short time thought, they had thought they were going to lose her. But Jason hadn't given up, he'd insisted on taking her back into surgery and he'd been right. He'd saved her life. His surgical techniques had impressed Carolyn Lam as she'd assisted him in the surgery.

What worried them now was the fact she hadn't regained consciousness. Both doctors had insisted there was no head injury; Danielle would wake up when she was ready.

Jack was more then ready for her to wake up. Daniel was beside himself with worry, so much so Carolyn had slipped him a 'mickey' in his coffee; he was now asleep in the ward. Sheppard had been as bad, a sneak attack from Dex and a hypo had him in out before he could retaliate, joining the young woman's father. The rest of SG-1 and Atlantis SG-1 had been ordered to get some sleep or risk the same treatment; they'd gone to quarters without argument.

So Jack had come to sit at Danielle's bedside. It gave Jack a sense of deja'vu; he'd sat in the same ICU room a number of times with Daniel. Now it was his daughter. And Jack's goddaughter; Daniel had filled him in.

Her cover story said he was her godfather, just as he'd been in her reality. He was her Uncle Jack.

Carolyn came up behind him, checking the monitors, before making notes on the chart at the end of the bed. "Why don't you get some sleep, Jack?" she suggested.

"I got some earlier," he unconsciously stoked the young woman's hand with his thumb.  
She walked around and pulled up a chair, sitting with him. "She'll pull through, Jack, you've just got to give her time."

"And if she doesn't. I wanted them to come here," he said aimlessly. "I agreed to let them stay at the cabin. I should have ordered them back here."

"And if the Stargate hadn't of been hit by whatever it was hit by, they wouldn't be here at all," she said bluntly and then stated. "There are so many what ifs and what could have been. You can't control what happens."

"No, we can't, but this shouldn't have happened to her."

"No, it shouldn't have," she agreed, "but it has and now you've got to be strong for her, for Daniel, Nick, her team, SG-1."

Jack was going to comment when he felt his hand being griped, he grinned. "Doc, she squeezed my hand."

Carolyn got quickly to her feet and went round to the other side of the bed, checking the monitors. "Talk to her, Jack."

He gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "Come on kiddo, wake up. Let me see those baby blue eyes."

"That's it Danielle, wake up honey." Carolyn encouraged her.

Danielle opened her eyes and wrinkled her nose; it itched because of the nasal cannula. A lot of things also hurt. She slowly turned her head, disorientated. "Uncle Jack?" her voice was harsh and her throat sore.

"I'm here honey; you're going to be all right?"

"You've been on a respirator, Danielle, your throat is going to be sore for a while," Carolyn explained, she gestured a nurse in. "Can you get me cup of ice chips please?"

"Yes, doctor," the nurse said and hurried out.

"Was…. Was anyone….anyone else hurt?" Danielle managed to ask. "I remember… I was hit."

"No honey, only you," the doctor told her.

"You've got your father's luck, kiddo," Jack said happily. "And the sheriff got the hunters who hit you."

The nurse returned and handed a cup full of ice chips with a spoon in it to Carolyn, who feed a small spoonful to her patient. "That should help. Are you in any pain?"

Danielle slowly nodded. "Hurt."

"Where, honey?"

"Every where."

Carolyn smiled at that. "Okay, I'll get you something for the pain," she spoke to the nurse again, who acknowledged her and hurried to an equipment trolley, returning with a syringe. Carolyn took it and injected the medication into the IV port. "You should feel better in a moment," she stated and quickly disposed of the syringe. "You're a very lucky young lady, and you have a remarkable friend."

Danielle felt her eyes growing heavy again. "Jason?"

"He saved your life."

"Again," she managed before closing her eyes. "Want to go home, Uncle Jack?"

Jack looked a little confused. "Home, sweetheart?"

"Atlantis," she said and then drifted off in a dreamless sleep.

Carolyn adjusted one of the monitors. "She's asleep again; I didn't expect her to be awake for long."

"She looks younger in her sleep. So does her father." Jack noted.

She smiled. "I've noticed," she made some notes on the young woman's chart. "Go and get some sleep, Jack, she'll be fine. And I don't need a cranky General as a patient."

"Cranky?"

"Cranky," she mused.

He got to his feet. "All right, only because I'm tired and not because I'm cranky."

She chuckled. "Of course," she mused and then looked down at the chart once more, as he lent over and kissed his goddaughter's forehead.

Jack saw her looking. "Not a word, young lady."

"Lips are sealed," she promised.

He frowned and hurried out.

0o0o0o0

Cameron sat in the commissary playing with a spoon, half eaten red jello sat in front of him.

Vala sat next to him. "Any news?"

"She woke up briefly," he said putting his spoon in the jello.

"Well that's good, right, I mean Carolyn was worried about Dani not waking up," she said trying to encourage some cheerfulness.

He nodded. "Yeah."

"What about your parents, have you rang them yet about Jason?" Vala inquired and began eating his jello.

"Yes, they're looking forward to meeting him and hearing the whole story." Cameron revealed tiredly. "It was a shock for them."

"Well, I suppose it's not everyday they find out their golden boy was actually a bad boy," she said smirking. Seeing a smile ease onto his lips, it was what she wanted. She was worried about Dani too; there was nothing they could do, but wait. "Well your mother didn't actually say you were a golden boy, but I think that's a reference that works." She licked the spoon. "And I do recall the stories she told me."

"I will be talking to my mother about that," he said matter of fact.

"You know, we should have a party to introduce Jason to them; a 'Here's your grandson party'." Vala said with enthusiasm.

"We are not having a party." Cameron told her firmly.

"Oh stop being a stick in the bog."

"Mud, Vala. Stick in the mud," he corrected her. "And the answer is still no."

"Oh come on it will be fun," she urged him.

"No it won't."

Bray arrived with Matt and Teal'c.

"Colonel Mitchell, Vala Mal Doran," the Jaffa greeted.

"Hey Teal'c," Cameron said, gesturing for them to sit down. They did. "Where's Jason?"

"Talking with Dr. Lam," Matt revealed. "They're going over the procedure that he did on Dani."

"They were giving me a headache," Bray said bluntly, getting chuckles from the all.

"How are Jackson and Sheppard?" Cameron inquired.

"Daniel Jackson is talking with General Landry and Major Sheppard was flirting with the nurses." Teal'c answered.

"He just has to look at a nurse and their willing to bare his children." Matt complained.

"Now that sounds like a McKay." Sam said coming over to them. "Hey guys."

"Hi Sam, join us." Vala urged.

She was about too when they heard the announcement over the PA.

"_Dr. Mitchell to ICU, Dr. Mitchell to ICU. Dr. Jackson to the infirmary_."

Cameron got up and bolted out of the commissary, his team and Atlantis SG-1, running after him. Changing levels, they ran into the commissary and to ICU, going to the observation room, seeing a male orderly physically holding Nick back as Carolyn and Jason worked on Danielle, trying to get her to breathe again. Jason shouting orders to the nurses as the two of them worked.

Daniel rushed into the observation room with Jack. "What's going on?"

"We just got here," Cameron, told them feeling dread creep into his soul.

Jack went over to the microphone and clicked it on. "What's going on, Doctor?"

"_Not now, General_," she ordered and then ignored him.

Vala went over to Daniel, putting her arm around him. "She's going to be all right."

He nodded, he felt sick to his stomach with fear. He couldn't lose another woman he loved; he couldn't lose his daughter. "She's got to be."

She rested her head on his shoulder, but felt him shudder every time they used the defibrillator. She took his hand and gave it a squeeze, letting him know she was there for him.

Cameron moved closer to the window, his dread felt like a shroud. "Come kid, breath," he whispered.

Sam joined him, rubbing his back. She knew he'd become close to Danielle. "She will, Cam."

In ICU, they heard the heart monitor starting beeping out a steady beat, making everyone sighed in relief.

"We've got her back." Jason exclaimed, thankful.

The orderly let go of Nick. "Sorry sir."  
"It's okay," the Major assured him; he stayed where he was though as the nurse's resettled Danielle. "You were just doing your job."

The orderly nodded and moved away from him.

"_Doc_?"

Carolyn turned as Jason was using an Ancient medical scanner. "I don't know, General, she was fine one minute, the next she was coding."

Jason frowned at the reading he was getting. "She was poisoned."

Turing Carolyn looked at him shocked. "What?"

"She was poisoned, there's an unknown drug in her system," he showed her the readings he was getting.

Nick looked too, hearing a moan; he moved closer to Danielle's bed, he took her hand, calming the anger he felt. Someone had tried to kill her. "Dani?"

She opened her eyes. "Nick?"

"I'm here."

"Chest hurts…"

"I know," he rubbed her hand. "You stopped breathing; they had to use the defibrillator to restart your heart."

Her eye lids felt heavy. "Want to go home."

He knew that, he turned and looked up at the observation room. "General. We need to take Dani back to Atlantis."

Jack hesitated, and then nodded. "_Agreed._ _Doc, get her ready to travel. I'll talk to Landry_," he told them and then hurried out.

Nick sighed in frustration. "Dex, clear out mine and the Doc's quarters."

"_On it, Major_," he acknowledged and left.

Carolyn was not happy. "Taking her through the Stargate might not be the smartest thing at the moment."

"We're going, doctor." Nick informed bluntly.

"All right," she gave up. "Give Jason and I an hour."

He nodded, seeing the woman he loved was asleep again, he lent over and kissed her forehead, then left the room. Deep inside he wanted to find who did this and rip them limb from limb, but his heart was telling him Dani's safety was more important then revenge.

The rest of his team and SG-1 were waiting for him.

"We're coming with you." Cameron informed without indecision, his guts twisted at thought someone had actually tried to kill his friend's daughter.

Nick nodded; he knew what the man was feeling. "I'm not stopping you, Colonel."

"No, your not," he stated straight forward and looked to his team. "Let's get ready." They quickly followed him.

"I'll clean out mine and Mitchell's quarters." Matt told Nick and then hurried away.

Nick went back into the ICU room, but stayed out of the way.

0o0o0o0

General Landry wasn't happy, in fact, he was furious, furious that someone had gotten onto his base and tired to kill one of his people. He'd ordered an investigation, having secured the base as soon as he'd been informed him of the situation.

He frowned as SG-1 came into the Gate room, kitted up, along with Atlantis SG-1, who had their packs: Dr. Danielle Jackson being brought in on a gurney. "I don't like this, Jack," he told the man

Jack O'Neill stood next to him. "Neither do I, but we need to get her out of here."

Landry sighed. "Take care of them, Jack."

"I will," he assured and headed down to the Gate room.

Carolyn was there, she handed a file to Jason. "The file for Dr. Beckett."

"I'll fill him in," the younger Doctor assured.

Bray gentle lifted Danielle from the gurney, she was in scrubs, a blanket wrapped around her and thick socks on her feet. Carolyn unhooked the IV bag and laid it on his shoulder; she'd sedated the young archaeologist for the journey. "Take it easy with her."

"I will, doc." Bray assured. "I've done this before."

That fact was enough to make Carolyn shiver. The Stargate opened and settled in a watery puddle.

"_Atlantis has acknowledged. You're clear to go, SG-1, SG-1 Atlantis_," Landry announced from the control room.

Jack turned and gave the General a two finger salute. "See you when we get back, Hank," he told the man and then addressed the two teams. "Let's move out, people."

SG-1 went first, and then Atlantis SG-1, Jack followed them up and through the open Gate. They stepped out within Atlantis. A medical team was waiting for them.

Dr. Beckett ushered Bray over to the gurney, where he laid Danielle down and hocked the IV bag up. Jason handed the doctor the file and went with him and the medical team, filling him in as they went.

Elizabeth arrived with John. "Welcome back SG-1's, General."

"I wish it was on better circumstances, Dr. Weir." Jack told her.

"As do I, General," she declared.

"So what happened, sir?" John asked. "General Landry said Dani was hit by a jeep while jogging."

"Someone tried to kill her." Nick said bluntly. "She was poisoned in the infirmary."

"General Landry has started an investigation." Cameron told John.

"Let's get you all settled," Elizabeth suggested seeing the situation was tense.

They followed her.

John walked with Nick. "You okay, Major?"

"I feel like I want to kill someone," he hissed quietly.

"I know; just take it easy, they'll fine out who did this."

Nick nodded. "Yes sir."

John could see Nick was barely holding it together. He stuck with him, getting to his quarters. The look he gave Elizabeth told her everything she needed. So she didn't comment, she just ushered the rest to their quarters.

Nick dropped his pack and Danielle's on the bed; he'd held it together pretty well since it had all started. Now he felt he was coming part. "Damn it to hell!" he exclaimed and picked up the nearest object, which happened to be a vase and threw it across the room. It smashed against the wall.

John had been waiting for it to happen. "Feel better?"

"No!" he snapped. "Some tried to kill her, right under our noses!"

"But they didn't!" John told him. "She's safe here."

"For how long!" he asked him, raising his voice.

"Snap out of it, Major!" John ordered sternly. "You're not the only one to nearly lose a member of your team."

Sighing, Nick sat down on the bed. His brother's words hitting home. He ran his fingers throw his hair. "She's more then my team member, Colonel. I love her."

John went and sat next to him, he knew how hard that had been for the young man to admit. "Do I need to transfer her to another team?"

"No, sir," he said quickly shaking his head. "I can handle it."

"You'd better, Major, because you make one mistake and I will do it."

"Understood."

John put his hand on his brother's shoulder. "She'll be all right," he gave his shoulder a squeeze. "She's a Jackson. You don't keep them down long, right?"

"Right," he managed a smile of his own and gestured to the shuttered vase on the floor. "I'd better clean that up."

"Yep and it might be a good idea and don't tell Jackson you broke it. That vase was at least 10 thousand years old."

"Right. Good idea." Nick decided and got up.

John chuckled and gave him a hand; they then headed to the infirmary after receiving a message from Carson.

The doctor met them. "Danielle is conscious and asking to see you both, this way," he took them through to ICU to a private room. Two Marines stood either side of the door, both nodded to both Sheppard's as they went in.

Jason was standing next to Danielle's bed. "They're here Dani."

John hurried over and took her hand, giving her a warm smile. "Hey kiddo."

"Hey Colonel," she said hoarsely.

"How you doing?"

"Hurt."

"You'll be feeling better soon, lass," Carson assured her.

Nick went around the bed and stood the other side. "Where, Dani?"

"Chest hurts."

"We had to use the defibrillator, Dani, remember?" Jason asked her and saw her nod. "You'll start to feel better soon; you've got to let the medication work."

Nick took her hand too. "You'll be up stealing jello in no time, Dani."

She managed a smile, a weak one, but a smile never the less. "I've got… to… teach," her eyes started to close. "Teach the Colonel… about the link."

"When you're better, Doc," John agreed as she drifted off to sleep.

Daniel joined them. "Hey."

"She's asleep again, Doc," Nick told him.

"It's the best thing at the moment; it'll give her body a change to heal." Jason told them.

"And that is our cue to leave, right?" John guessed.

"Aye lad, it is," Carson agreed. "Out you go."

"Could I stay, Dr. Beckett?" Daniel inquired.

"For a while, Daniel."

"Thank you."  
Carson ushered the rest of them out, leaving Daniel to grab a seat and seat next to his daughter, holding her hand. He silently wondered about her mother. Danielle had told him a little, but there wore little things a daughter wouldn't know. He wondered what had made his doppelganger fall in love with Myra – a beautiful Lantean refugee.

'_She's beautiful, Daniel_.'

He looked up, surprised to see the ascended being and not surprised. He recognized her from the photo Danielle carried. "Myra."

'_Hello Daniel_.'

"You know who I am?"

'_I knew you when you were ascended_,' she revealed and smiled sadly. '_If things had been different_,' she sighed. '_Perhaps_.'

Daniel had wondered what if himself many times. "She could use your counsel."

She nodded. '_The others are aware of Danielle's arrival and my being here_,' she revealed. She touched the younger woman's hand.

"They thought she could be another Adria. Didn't they?" Daniel speculated.

'_Yes. She isn't though, her heart and soul are good_,' the Ascended being announced. '_Danielle is as powerful Adria, that's why they sent me. In some ways, she's even more powerful. But where Adria serves the darkness, Danielle serves the light. She's Lantean._'

"The _Others_ won't be able to control her," he pointed out.

Myra smiled. '_They know that, Daniel_.'

He rubbed his thumb over his daughter's hand. "Were you with her when she coded in the infirmary on Earth?"

'_I've been with her since the accident happened_,' she informed with a warm smile. '_I know your worried Daniel_.'

"She's my daughter, Myra."

'_Mine too, Daniel_,' she whispered and then disappeared.

Daniel gave his daughter's hand a gentle squeeze. "I'm here honey," he whispered.

Unseen, Myra watched, saw the love Daniel had for his daughter. A child not born of him and yet she was his daughter. And she was hers. Not born from either of them and yet still their's.

It hadn't been the Wraith, who had taken away her chance of happiness with Daniel, or even a daughter and family with him; it had been the Goa'uld. They'd made it in stasis to the Milky Way system on their way to Earth when the Goa'uld had found them and when they didn't submit, they destroyed them. Myra and her people had ascended to escape the destruction. Had the Goa'uld not found them, then things might have been different.

She stood once more next to her daughter's bed; Daniel had drifted off to sleep, his head resting on crossed arms, his hand still holding Danielle's. She brushed her fingers through his hair and then moved to stand the other side. She put her hands over Danielle's body, and closed her eyes. A soft glow surrounded the young woman as she began to heal her, fix the damage the accident had coursed.

When Myra felt the pull of the _Others_, she fought them, continuing to heal. When it became too much she did what she felt was right. She descended, falling unconscious to the floor next to the bed.

Daniel woke heading the monitor alarms going off, the same time as he heard what sounded like a body falling. He got to his feet and rushed around to see Myra. "Dr. Beckett!" He called out and knelt next to the descended being. "Myra?"

She smiled weakly at him. "I had to help her."

Carson ran in with Jason, the younger doctor going to Danielle, confused as to what was going on. The woman on the floor looked like his Aunt Myra.

"Daniel, give me a hand, we'll take the lass into an examination cubical," Carson told him.

Daniel nodded and with Carson's help, they got Myra to her feet and out of the ICU.

Danielle had woken; she grabbed Jason's hand, confused by what had happened. "Jace?"

"I don't know, honey," he admitted. "Now lay back so I can check you over," he insisted.

She reluctantly did so. The woman had looked like her mother, but that wasn't possible, was it.

Outside in the infirmary, Elizabeth arrived with Jack, finding Daniel waiting.

"What the hell is going on, Daniel?" the General asked bluntly.

"Myra must have tried to heal Dani; the _Others_ obviously tired pulling her away and she stopped them by descending."

"Who is Myra?" Elizabeth asked confused.

"She's a Lantean, her people were in a ship on their way to Earth when the Goa'uld attacked and destroyed their ship. They ascended," Daniel explained, silently wondering how he knew all of that. Keeping that to himself for the moment, continuing. "In Dani's universe, she was her mother."

"Her mother ….and your wife," she pointed out.

He nodded. "One in the same; except in this universe, Myra and her people weren't saved from the Goa'uld and we never meet, which meant Dani wasn't born."

"But she's here now." Jack stated and they both looked at him. "Well I don't mean for you to marry her. I just mean she's here."

"I know what you mean, Jack," Daniel said amused by this friends statement. "I don't think Myra planed to descend. I think she made the decision when the _Others_ tried pulling her away."

"What about her memories, did they have time to screw with them?"

"No, I don't think so. She knew who I was, who Dani was."

"Wait a minutes. These _Others_ let her descend?" Elizabeth interrupted.

"They weren't given a choice, she made the decision." Daniel stated.

Carson came out to them. "Elizabeth, General."

"How is Myra, Carson?" Elizabeth asked.

"She's fine, a health woman in her thirties," he revealed. "She's Lantean; I've taken DNA samples and blood to do a full work up. But I'm taking it, the lass is Dani's mother?"

"In a round about way, yes," Daniel answered him.

"Well, she's a fiery one and has a wicked sense of humor," Carson declares with a smile. "I can see where you'd be attracted to her."

Daniel shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot. "Can we um, see her?"

"Aye, she'll be right out lad."

As he finished saying it, Myra joined them, straightening her clothing and light brown hair. She smiled warmly as she joined them. "You must be Dr. Weir and General O'Neill."

Elizabeth smiled. "Please Elizabeth is fine. Welcome to Atlantis, Myra."

"Thank you, it hasn't changed much since I was last here."

"So you're from here?" Jack asked her.

"Yes, originally," she looked around. "You've brought the city back to its former glory."

"We've done the best we could." Elizabeth said a little embarrassed.

"Don't be modest, Elizabeth, you have accomplished much in the time you've been here."

Nick returned with John, the Major was stunned. "Aunt Myra?"

She smiled as she turned. "No, not in the way you think."  
"Myra is from our universe, Nick," Daniel explained. "She was ascended." He gestured to the two men. "Myra, this is Lt. Colonel John Sheppard and Major Nick Sheppard."

"Nice to meet you," John declared.

Nick felt his stomach do flip flops, he'd been close to his Aunt Myra, his whole team had been. "You descended."

"I tried helping Danielle by healing her, the _Others_ tried to stop me, so I descended to be with her," she added.

"Is Dani alright?" Nick asked aguishly.

"She will be." Myra assured him in a calm tone. "I didn't heal her completely, but she is out of danger."

Nick didn't wait for any more information; he rushed into the ICU, seeing Danielle sitting up, her legs dangling over the side of the bed. "Dani?"

She looked up and gave him a warm reassuring smile. "I'm fine, a little sore, but I'm fine."

He looked to Jason, who nodded. "It's true, Major, aside from some tenderness, and some bruising, Dani is fine," he reported. "There isn't even any surgical scaring."

Dani got off the bed, free from all the monitors, IV and oxygen, thankful she was still in scrubs. She wrapped her arms around Nick, comforting him as she comforted her.

He held her gently, but firmly in his arms. "She said she didn't completely heal you."

She pulled back a little, but not out of his arms. "Then she's really here?"

Nick cupped her face and kissed her forehead. "She's here, but she's not your mother, Dani, she's from this universe."

Dani rested her head against his chest; she gripped the back of his shirt. They had been through so much and she felt so tired. "Why did she do it?" she asked him, her voice muffled against his shirt.

"I don't know, Doc," he put his hand on the back of her head. "Maybe in her own way she cares about you."

Jason joined them. "I know she's not the woman your mother was, but maybe, just maybe she could be very close." He didn't hesitate in putting his hand on her shoulder. He knew how she felt. He'd never lost his parents, but due to the circumstances, they'd lost everyone they'd known and loved. "Take the chance, Dani."

She smiled and drew away from Nick to hug him, feeling warm and loved in his arms. Jason had been the first man she'd opened her heart to and despite the fact, they weren't together anymore, they still loved each other. "You're a smart guy, Jace," she whispered and then kissed his cheek. Stepping back, she walked slowly out of the room.

Nick silently counted to ten and then with a nod to Jason, the two of them followed.

Danielle didn't rush; she hadn't lied when she said she was fine, she was, but she also still hurt. By the time she reached her father and the other's, a light film of sweat was on her brow and she held an arm to her side.

John was the first to see her. "Of all the…" his voice trailed as he rushed over to her. "Dani, what are you trying to prove?"

"I'm fine," she protested.

He saw Nick and Jason; getting the feeling, they hadn't been able to stop her, even if they'd wanted to. He shook his head. "You are a stubborn young woman."

Daniel made his way quickly over to her too. "Takes after her father, Colonel."

"Over here, lads," Carson ordered and patted the exam bed.

They helped her to the exam bed, getting her to sit down. Danielle took John's hand. "I'm fine, Colonel."

"No your not, but you've got guts kiddo," he told her proudly and sat up next to her. "I'm glad you're okay, Dani."

She wrapped her arms round him, surprising him for a moment, she felt him hesitate and then hug her back, being careful.

Daniel put his hand on Myra's lower back and guided her over to his daughter. "You'll be fine," he whispered to her.

Danielle pulled away from John, looking to the woman who was her mother's doppelganger. When her mother had been injured, she'd fallen apart; Nick and her team had held her together. Being strong for her brother, Nathan had kept her from a complete melt down. When her mother had ascended, she'd felt numb and empty, going through the motions as if in a daze, comforting Nat, being there for him. It wasn't until after the memorial service, when her parents had appeared to her for the first time together had it finally it home and she'd fallen apart. Nick had been there.

Now she was face to face with a woman who was her mother's doppelganger. She slipped off the bed and slowly walked over to her.

Myra wasn't expecting the young woman to embrace her, it took a moment for her to respond, but she did, wrapping her arms around her.

Jack nudged Elizabeth. "I think they're gona be alright."

She smiled. "I think so too, General."

Carson put his hand on Danielle's shoulder. "I don't wan to break this up, lass, but you shouldn't be on your feet. Back to bed."

"He's right, Danielle," Myra said tenderly. "You still have some healing to do."

Danielle nodded and allowed Carson and Jackson to guide her away.

"John would you escort Myra to guest quarters?" Elizabeth asked the Colonel.

"Of course," he said smiling, hoping off the bed. "This way."

Myra turned to Daniel quickly and kissed his cheek, smiling at his embarrassment as she went with the Colonel. She'd noticed his body language when it came to Danielle, the air of familiarity he displayed. She waited though until they were away from the infirmary. "You have strong feelings for Danielle."

John smiled; it was a typical parent question, even though she wasn't Danielle's mother. "She's a good kid."

"She's no child, Colonel." Myra stated bluntly.

"No Ma'am she's not, but she is 17, or so Carson tells us. So playing big brother to her is easy considering she looks it," he remarked casually.

"And you find her attractive," she surmised.

"You've have to be blind not to, but she's off the market."

It took Myra a moment to understand what he was referring to. "Aha, you mean she's with Major Sheppard?"

John nodded his head. "But you didn't hear it from me."

"And why is that, Colonel?"

"Because they're on the same team," he pointed out. "It's against the rules."

"I see, you have rules against two people loving each other?" she asked him confused.

"No," they changed levels. "Just two people in the same team loving each other," he noted and tried to explain. "They could let their feeling for each other get in the way and it can course problems within the team, even safety issues during missions."

"Would it not strengthen the team, it is obvious she has strong feelings for each of her team members." Myra noted. "From what I saw it makes them a strong team."

John had to agree. "Yes it does, but I don't make the rules."

She smiled. "No you don't and I know for a fact, you don't always follow them," she linked arms with in a friendly fashion. "You know, Colonel Sheppard, I had a friend who would have gotten on well with you."

"Atira?"

She was a little surprised. "Yes, how?"  
He shrugged a little. "Nick's mother was Atira, in his universe," he frowned a little. "I'm surprised you didn't know that."

"Well, Colonel, I don't pry into everyone's life."

That made John chuckle. "Carson was right; you do have a wicked sense of humor."

"It helps," she mused.

They came to her room; John opened to door and showed her in. "Here we are."

"Thank you, Colonel."

"John," he told her.

"John," she said with a silky softness to her voice.

"Well, I'll um leave you to settle in," he said a little mesmerized by her.

"I'm sure we'll see each other later, John."

He nodded and hurried out, smiling as he walked back down the corridor. Oh, he could see what Danielle's father had seen in her mother. Myra was an attractive and spunky woman in any universe.

0o0o0o0

**Two days later:**

Cameron walked out onto the balcony off the mess. "Hey kiddo."

Jason put the book he was reading down and lent back in his chair. "Hey dad, any news from Earth?"

"Yeah, they found a trust agent, he's singing like a canary."

"So you'll be heading back then?"

"Yeah, the General wants us back." Cameron pulled out a chair and sat with him. "General O'Neill has headed back already…. Look Jace, I'm sorry you didn't get to meet your grandparents."

"It's okay, dad, I'm sure I'll get back to Earth," Jason said understandingly. "At least this way you'll get to talk to them first."

"Yeah," his father agreed. "Thanks."

Jason chuckled. "You're welcome. So when are you leaving?"

"In the morning," Cameron revealed. "We're planning on frisking Vala before we go of course."

His son laughed. "She's not that bad, dad."

"No, but she does keep Daniel on his toes."

"So I've heard."

Sam and Vala chose that moment to join them on the balcony; the former con-artist was all smiles. "What have your heard?" she asked. "Anything juicy?"

"No, not really," Jason answered, smiling as they sat across from him. "Dad was saying you're heading back to Earth in the morning."

Sam nodded. "We just saw General O'Neill off."

"What about Myra?"

"She's staying, she believes she can be of more use here then on Earth," Sam answered before Vala could.

"She knows the city pretty well." Jason noted mater of fact. "And she has the ATA gene."

"Apparently she's a scientist, so she's going to be helping the science department."

"McKay must be ecstatic." Cameron declared.

"He did seem rather excited," Vala noted. "But I wasn't quiet sure; he talks very quickly and uses extremely long words. Worse then Daniel."

Cameron chuckled. "McKay is twice as bad as Jackson when it comes to large words. Thankfully Jackson is easier to get along with."

"Better looking too," Vala added.

"Thank you, I think." Daniel remarked, having coming out onto the balcony over hearing her.

She grinned as the others chuckled. "You're welcome," she beamed as he sat next to her.

"So where is everyone else?" he asked them.

"Um, Bray is with Ronon and Teyla sparring," Jason revealed without a second thought. "Matt is with McKay and Myra in his lab and the Major is with Dani and Colonel Sheppard and the chair room."

Sam was surprised. "You know that for certain?"

He nodded, not fazed by it, shrugging. "Atlantis knows where they all."

"And you asked the city," his father said a little confused.

"It's easy enough."

Daniel knew that, he'd done it, asking the question out loud had been out of habit. "I guess having the ATA gene has its advantages."

Jason knew Daniel had the gene, but he also knew the archaeologist didn't want it known. "Sometimes."

"So Dani is alone in the chair room with Nick and Colonel Sheppard," Vala said flirty voice. "Lucky girl."

"She's teaching Colonel Sheppard to use the link." Jason told her.

"Oh I bet."

"Vala." Daniel warned with only his tone.

"Oh yes, we all know she's in love with Nick, but there is something about having brother's, or even a father and son," Vala said with known all ease.

"I don't want to know."

Sam arched an eyebrow. "Brother's?"

"Mmmm, I tell you about it later."

Daniel groaned and got to his feet. "I need coffee," he murmured and walked back inside.

0o0o0o0

In the chair room, Danielle stood to John's left, he sat in the chair, it was relined, and his eyes were closed as he concentrated. Nick was leaning against a console monitoring systems.

"You're losing the link," the archaeologist told the Colonel.

"Well it was a lot easier when you initialized the link and just let me join." John declared frustrated.

"You need to relax, Colonel." Nick noted.

"Easy for you to say, you've got this covered."

Danielle rubbed her temples, Carson had wanted to keep her in the infirmary another day, but she'd been going stir crazy in there. At least here, she felt like she was doing something. "It's just like when you use the chair, Colonel, relax and let it guide you."

He tired again and for a brief moment he had the link, the whole city was at his finger tips, then he lost it again. Frustrated he sat forward, opening his eyes. "I'm not going to get his as easily as I can fire drones."

"Yes, you will." Danielle assured him. "Try again. Please."

He nodded and sat back, the chair reclined and he closed his eyes.

Nick looked over at his archaeologist and nodded, as he joined her on the dais, standing behind the chair he reached over and put his hands on his brother's shoulders and closed his eyes. Helping him to find the link and hold it.

Danielle straddled John's lap, putting her hands over his in the gel control pads and closed her eyes, joining the link, bring the three of them together:

_John found himself back in the same environment he'd experienced the first time he'd been in the link, but this time it wasn't just him and Danielle, Nick was with them. He couldn't see him, but he could sense his presence like a warm blanket and like before they were naked and bathed a soft white light. "This is becoming embarrassing," he joked, feeling her fingers caress his back, as she stood in his arms._

"_The link is a representation of light and purity, clothing isn't necessary. Relax, John the more you do the easier it is to stay in the link," she advised him. "Nick's presence is to make sure I don't overload your system again. He's being an anchor."_

_John felt the same intoxicating, natural high of intimacy that he experienced before, the feel of her skin under his finger tips at her lower back. He wanted to relax, but just the fact there was the three of them was a little unsettling, even if he couldn't see his brother, he could see his presence. "I don't know about this, Dani."_

"_Relax, John," Nick voice whispered around them. "Once you've gotten a hold of the link, I'll be gone."_

"_He's right John," Danielle's voice whispered melodiously. "Don't fight it. Let go slowly, feel the city around you, feel it guiding you." She wrapped her arms around his neck and ran her fingers through his hair; feeling him relaxing under her touch and his link with the city becoming stronger. "That's it John, let go, let it happen, don't be afraid of Atlantis, or her link with you."_

_Nick's presence slowly flitted away as John's link with the city became stronger, leaving just him and Danielle there. He closed his eyes and relished in the feeling that the link created, it was as before; beyond sexual, beyond bliss, there really weren't any words to describe it. He was everywhere within Atlantis, he saw everything, heard everything and Atlantis welcomed him, like she was welcoming a lost child back._

_Danielle pulled her own presence back until he stood alone within the link. He opened his eyes and looked around, feeling warm and safe._

"_Welcome home, John," a warm lovely voice greeted him._

"_Atlantis?"_

"_Yes, John," from the darkness stepped a beautiful woman with flowing rich black hair and bright green eyes. She stepped into the light, as naked as he was, unashamed by her state of undress. "With more practice you'll be able to join me without Danielle's and Nick's help, but always remember, that in a time of trouble, all my children will be able to help." She smiles as he stared, stepping forward she wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing her body against his. "In time you will be able to link with me so that I can help you at any time."_

"_Any time?"_

"_Any time, John," she said with a smile. "Now it is time for you to return, Danielle and Nick are waiting."_

"_I'll see you again?" He asked quickly._

_She brushed her lips over his and then stepped back. "I'm always be with you, John, in time you will be able to sense my presence and reach out to me. It will take time, let Danielle guide you."_

_He nodded. "I will."_

_She smiled. "Goodbye for now John."_

John sat forward, opening his eyes as he did, grabbed hold of Danielle realizing she was sitting on his lap. "Dani?"

"Colonel, I take it your meeting with Atlantis when well," she said with an amused smile.

"You could say that," he smirked back good heartedly and a little self-conscious.

Danielle lent forward, whispering in his ear. "I'm sitting on your lab, Colonel. That is not your side arm, so I say it went well," she lent back, sensing his embarrassment.

Nick moved from behind the chair. "I'm sure once you've linked a few times with the city, you'll get use to the… sensations."

"Hey at least I didn't over load and throw up over someone," John declared lightly, realizing how it must look, him in the chair and Danielle straddling his lab. "Um, Doc, I think you'd better hope off, you're not helping."

Danielle chuckled. "I'm flattered, Colonel," she got up with Nick's help.

He stood, a little awkward, the chair deactivating, at the back of his mind he could feeling the familiar hum become strong and more calming.

Danielle sensed it. "Welcome to my world, Colonel."

John arched an eyebrow, realizing what she was talking about. "You feel this all the time?"

"All the time."

"You get use to it." Nick assured him.

"Well," the Colonel stated, uncomfortable by all the attention. "Let's get out of here," he tested his new found skills seeking answers from Atlantis, getting them without the headache or dizziness. "Our teams are in the mess, shall we join them?"

Danielle smiled, pleased. "Nice work, Colonel," they left the chair room.

"Thanks, wasn't as hard as I thought it would be," he declared.

"Never is big brother." Nick smirked. "Never is."

0o0o0o0

The next morning, Atlantis SG-1 and Sheppard's team, along with Elizabeth and Myra, saw SG-1 off in the gate room.

Daniel hugged his daughter. "Be careful, okay."

"I will, dad," Danielle assured.

"I'll look after her, Daniel." Nick assured him.

He released her and nodded. "Thanks Nick."

"My turn," Cameron piped up and then hugged Danielle, grinning. "Be good kiddo."

"I will," she promised and then grinned. "Well, maybe a little."

He ruffled her hair and stepped back, letting Sam and Vala hug her too. They'd all welcomed her into their family.

Teal'c was last; Danielle smiled and hugged him. "Look after Dad and the other's, for me."

"I shall, Danielle Jackson," he promised and then stepped back.

Elizabeth smiled as the Stargate opened. "Good luck, SG-1."

"Stay safe." Danielle added.

"We intend to, kiddo." Cameron said and then after Sam had sent their IDC through, they said goodbye and walked through the Gate. It shut down moments later.

"Well," Rodney rubbed his hands together. "I have a lot to do, we getting ready to initialize two more recharged ZPM's."

"Just don't blow the city up, Rodney," John told him.

Myra chuckled. "I'll keep an eye on him, Colonel."

"Thank you."

"Oh please, as if I'd blow the city up."

"You nearly blew up an entire solar system, McKay." Nick noted as they left the Gate room.

"Nearly, not entirely," Rodney pointed out.

"Close enough."

"No it's not."

Elizabeth chuckled at their bantering and headed to her office.

0o0o0o0

**One Week Later:**

Lt. Colonel John Sheppard arrived at operations just as the Stargate opened. Below in the Gate room Atlantis' very own SG-1 stood geared up and ready to move out, Carson having cleared their archaeologist for duty. They were going through the Gate with Major Lorne and his team.

Elizabeth acknowledged him with a smile. "I was wondering if you'd be here."

"I wouldn't miss this for anything," he noted.

"Of course not," she mused, than added a little more seriously. "They'll be fine, John."

"I know," he stated, seeing his 2IC glance back and nod.

"Why do I have a feeling you had a word with Major Lorne." Elizabeth supposed.

"No idea," John said with an air of innocence.

She knew better, addressing the two teams, her voice being carried to the room below. "Major Lorne, SG-1, you have a go. Good luck."

Both Nick and Lorne acknowledged with nods of their heads and led their teams through the event horizon.

When the Stargate shut down, John stared at it for a moment then looked away. "I'll see you later, Elizabeth," he said and started to walk away.

"They're due to return in two hours, John," she reminded.

"I know," was all he said as he kept walking.

Elizabeth just smiled and headed to her office, silently wondering if this SG-1 was going to be like its SGC counterpart. If so, between them and Sheppard's team, life would not be boring.

To be continued… (maybe)


End file.
